Shifting Through Realities
by thehappy
Summary: Directly follows chapter chapter 46 from Dragon of the COG. Erza, Mira, Levy and Kagura find themselves stranded in the multiverse and must fight to make their way back home. Will contain gore, swearing and other mature themes. Crossovers with multiple different anime's, games and other realities. Don't like it, don't read it.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Everybody! If your reading this, hopefully your caught of on Dragon of the COG because this will be a direct spin off with Erza, Mira, Levy, and Kagura. Also, I am not a professional historian, so if I get things wrong with this first universe…eh. Also, if some of you go spouting hate at me for this one universe…read your history! WW1 Germany was a Federal Monarchy and not full of the evil during WW2! So yeah, it will be different. And yeah, women back then could barely vote but since its you know…those four, I figure the German's will put aside those ideals for victory. But I'll do a few chapters of this, then the girls will be "shifting' to a new reality afterwards by random chance! I definitely want to hit Walking Dead, Halo, and My Hero for sure!**

**Anyway, if you haven't read my stories, check them out and leave a review! My resident evil story with Wendy could use some readers and reviews lol. But still…enjoy!**

**Chapter One: Landing**

* * *

All Mira could see was a swirl of blue's and purples around her as spent lightning crackled. The colors were shifting and flowing…much like a tunnel of exotic particles. And it was endless before her. Looking down at her hands as she continued to…fly through the fabric between realities, she saw them slightly aglow with a bluish hue. Trying to halt her motion…in this medium of the universe, Mira found herself completely powerless as her body continued to fly forward at unknown speeds.

"_What happened? We were following Natsu…then this? But…it doesn't make sense? Every time we travel between realities it's almost instantaneous. And why are my hands glowing?"_ It was at that point she remembered her three friends as her eyes frantically started to search her surroundings.

The colors shifted, the purples of tachyons and other molecules of light shifting toward the green spectrum as her eyes landed on Erza, Levy and Kagura floating nearby. They were glowing as well, their female bodies covered with the azure illumination as they moved along this exotic tunnel.

"ERZA!" she shouted, but her voice didn't seem to carry as the crackling power of this place shuddered and grew. The redhead noticed her and said something, but Mira couldn't understand at all as the voice was lost to the nothingness.

A white light coalesced before them in the distance, rushing closer and closer with breakneck speeds as blue lightning flashed all around them. Mira tried to turn her body to avoid it along with the others, but it was hopeless as all four females hit the wall of light in a flash.

The night air was cold for private Nicholai Romov as he huddled in the trench line west of Rodom as a freezing wind blew from the north. The city was small, but the Russian 4th army had taken it as their northern forces pushed toward Warsaw. The German's had fallen back to reorganize, but he knew they had dug in just a hundred yards away. If it hadn't been for the shitty weather turning the roads to muck, their regiment probably could have taken Oppazna. But…the German's had held firm. The bloody exchange had resulted in death and maiming on both sides…which was nothing new as the armies settled in to gather their collective breaths.

Rubbing his hands together to warm them, Nicholai looked at the dozens of men he served with manning the trench line as the Mosin rifle rested against his back. The strap was well worn, almost a second friend as the familiar weight never left. Continuing to look at his compatriots, he studied some of them talking about the latest developments. From what he could tell, they were in good spirits after news reached them of a victory against the Austrian-Hungary army to the south.

A crack like thunder reverberated through the air as the sky lit up, spurning the men to alarm as they grabbed their weapons. Rushing to the parapet, a bearded soldier next to him stood on the stoop as an officer barked further down the trench line.

"Man your weapons! Don't let the German's steal your victory!" the officer yelled out as several soldiers started to fire, their hot lead filling the darkened area as many believed it was better to be safe than sorry.

Resting his own rifle on the freezing ground that pointed to no man's land, Nicholai searched for any movement as he subscribed to the same ideals. If the German's wanted to stage a night raid, then they would pay for it…especially after such a botched start. Spotting a hint of movement in a crater to his forefront, the private pulled the trigger as his rifle bucked against his shoulder along with dozens of others.

Levy landed hard in the shallow crater as mud and dirty water splashed against her armor. Face smeared with grime, she gripped her machine gun as the other three women groaned and groused.

"What…what the hell happened?" Erza asked as the bitter air and desolate wind blew down into the shallow pit. Wrinkling her nose, the red head turned her gaze to her left as a corpse lay near the upper edge, his legs blown away as the smell hit them all.

"I have no idea" Kagura suggested as yells of alarm in the distance reached them all.

"Weren't we…heading toward Sera? Where's Natsu and the others?" Mira asked with a trepidation of worry as she glanced at Levy. The shorter woman gripped her weapon, the gleaming metal of the bayonet like a sliver of light under the starry night as her body was already covered in filth.

"It's obvious som—"

The crackling of gunfire and hissing of spent munitions flying over their heads made the four women pause. A few of the random bullets hit the dirt at the lip of the crater, spilling more downward as the intensity of the incoming gunfire increased. Staying low, Kagura knew that they couldn't stay here as she crawled up toward the edge. Her gear armor was slick with mud and dirt as she cradled the lancer in her hands before peeking over the edge.

A hastily strung line of barb wire was about thirty feet away, protecting the direct approaches to a trench line as men in dirty uniforms fired…blindly. She couldn't understand the language, but she didn't need to as a bullet kicked up a puff of dirt near her head. Sliding back down as fear increased her haste, she gave a quick gulp.

"Trench line about thirty feet away. Those men are trying to kill us"

"That won't be a problem. I'll just transform and hit them from the air…and…shit. My magic isn't working" Mira finished with annoyance as her transformation and spells didn't activate at all.

Trying for themselves, each woman found the same result as rifle fire continued to fly above their heads. Some was coming from the opposite direction now too, but that was of little concern to the four.

"You know…it looks like we're stuck between two forces" Erza explained lightly as she gripped her rifle. The scorcher was still hugging the magnetized plate, ready to be unleashed as a longshot hugged Kagura's own armor. Mira had a Gnasher shotgun for close work as Levy just had her one weapon along with half a dozen grenades with spare ammunition boxes.

"No shit, Erza. But which one do we attack?" Mira said with a scowl as another bullet snapped above their heads. Thank whatever god there was the crater was deep enough for all of them.

"I say the assholes directly trying to kill us. Plus…who knows what they'll do to us if we're captured" Levy suggested as the evil thought plagued each woman's mind. It was a horrifying prospect to be raped by unknown men in some distant universe…and something that they would not allow to pass.

"Broad front. Don't lose sight of each other and keep pushing forward until they break or flee" Erza commanded with deadly intentions as she started to rise. Seeing the other women do the same, they all crouched low as they waited for a lull in the firing.

They didn't have to wait long.

Rising from their small sanctuary in the middle of the half frozen field, the four women broke into a sprint as their heavy boots squelched and tried to suction the churned earth. Running low, they hunched up as rifle fire illuminated the night. They moved as quickly as they could, but with dozens of defenders to their front, it was only a matter of seconds as some noticed the charging females.

"Tam! Ubey Ikh!" a voice rang out from the fortification as the crackling of rifles grew louder. Mira grunted, the bullet slamming into her frontal armor as her steps staggered. She lost her breath, but Kagura pushed her on as the trench line rapidly approached.

Erza was the first one in, her scarlet hair disappearing from the other's vision as she landed near two soldiers. A quick burst from her lancer riddled the closest man with bullets, his body slumping to the muddy ground as another man tried to bring his rifle to bear. The bullet discharged, missing Erza by inches as she reacted on instinct. Firing once, her shot tore through the man's throat in a spray of crimson as he fell along the wall, choking on his own lifeblood.

"Spread out and kill them!" the knight shouted out as her three friends jumped down into the trench.

"Women!? Why are they at the front!?" Nicholai shouted out as the one with flowing red hair killed another man nearby with a quick burst from her weapon. The one next to her had black hair running down her back and both could be considered extremely beautiful…if they weren't killing the men in the trench.

One of his comrades screamed, the black haired woman firing two bullets into the other man's stomach as the force bucked his body and flung him against the trench wall. Shaking his head, Nicholai worked the bolt of his Mosin rifle as the woman charged toward him. It didn't matter if these were females…they were killing his fellow soldiers and needed to be put down. And to be honest…it would be a mercy to kill them instead of capturing. He knew what would happen to them if his brothers in arms caught them.

Squeezing the trigger as a few men were moving up behind him with yells and shouts over the snap of gunfire, Nicholai gave a solemn grin as his aim was true. He hit the dark haired woman in the chest as the stench of cordite and sulfur hit his nose. She staggered backward, taking a few awkward steps as the red head yelled something in a different language.

Coughing in a ragged fit, Kagura took a deep breath of hungry gulps of cold air. That rifle round had flattened against her armor and knocked the breath out of her, but the hardened plates were rated to stand up to machine gun fire. A single rifle round shouldn't be a concern unless two or three more hits occurred at the same spot. Bruising would happen later along her right side, but that concern was rapidly replaced with fury and rage.

"You…SHOT ME!" The mage yelled in wholesome anger as she revved up the chainsaw of her lancer. Running toward the man as he frantically worked the bolt with fear crossing his eyes, she hefted it up before bringing down the spinning teeth at his shoulder.

The soldier screamed out with unholy pain coursing through his body as blood spewed from arteries and his chest cavity was sundered open by the steel teeth. Gore sprayed across Kagura's armor, sliding across the symbol of Fiore as flecks of warm crimson hit her features. Some of it splattered against the dirt walls of the trench, coating it in a sheen as the destroyed corpse of Nicholai Romov fell like a useless carcass.

The three soldiers before her froze, their weapons shaking in their hands as not only this woman survived a point blank shot from a rifle with no damage…she tore one of their own apart.

"KAGURA! DOWN!" Erza commanded as she brought her flame-thrower to bear. Her fellow mage hit the ground, barely missing the deceased man as the scarlet knight unleashed a torrent of searing flames. It washed over the three men, their screams howling through the trench system as their skin lit aflame. Their bodies and flesh became like matchsticks, the horrid smell of burnt pork hitting the women as the men flailed and ran like the wretches of hell.

"Forward!" Erza commanded as she helped Kagura to her feet. Pushing forward as their boots became slick with mud, the combat veteran let loose another stream of jellified gas as it consumed another two men that happened to be too close.

Their screams haunted the other soldiers as some knelt on the dirt with weapons raised. Opening fire at the duo, they were fearful as both females took sanctuary behind some crates holding rations. Some of the bullets struck the burning men, ending their agony as one fell a mere three feet away from a Russian corporal.

"Mater' Bozh'ya…" the man gulped as one of his fellow soldiers burned. The smell was atrocious…but his eyes were soon returned with hatred…he would make these German women pay…

"Kagura! Grenade!" Scarlet shouted out as the half dozen soldiers before them started a staggering fire at their temporary haven of crates. Bits of wood flew in the night air, splintering outward as the men before them kept up a murderous fusillade. They're yells of fury rose above the shattering noise of gunfire as Mira and Levy attacked a different portion of the trench line further away.

Gripping the handheld explosive, Kagura pulled the pin before throwing it over the crates. It sailed through the air in a lazy arc before landing among the knot of men. One of them reached for it, hoping to return the throw…but he was too slow.

The explosion among them sent shrapnel hissing through the air, the burning metal riddling the bodies of the men in an instant. One lost his left arm, the concussive force simply blowing it away as another soldier had his stomach ripped open. The screams mixed in with the moans of pain from the wounded as none of them could muster the strength to resist.

Moving forward, the duo of females quickly dispatched the wounded with efficiency as their rifles barked with new gunshots in the trench. The screams ceased as the females moved onward, reaching a communication trench that seemed to have been hastily dug. It led off to the east as the sounds of yelling men and heavy boots were rapidly approaching their position.

Running across the gap to the other side, snapping bullets flew past her moving form as they harmlessly struck the dirt wall nearby.

"Erza! You know we can't take on a whole army by ourselves, right!?" Kagura yelled as she leaned out of cover. Three men were kneeling across the narrower trench, their rifles aimed downrange as more were running up to support the counter-attack. Ducking back, they ruptured in gunfire. The muzzle flashes and noise echoed along the trench. Exposing herself once more, the black haired beauty squeezed off a quick burst. The three rifle rounds tore through the unarmored chest of the closest man, killing him instantly as he fell backward.

"GRENADE!" Erza screamed out as she cocked her arm and threw one of the explosives. It blew in moments, the spent metal hissing and making flesh yield under its force as more men screamed in fear and pain. Moving back out into the open, the knight fired off numerous rounds in a rapid burst as three more men were killed under her accuracy.

Moans of agony reached their ears as men cried, grasping to stop the bleeding of the shrapnel. A horrifying shriek echoed through the air from a close distance, making four of the soldiers pause in fear as it seemed to be unending. They were standing at the scene of slaughter, their lives soon to be forfeit as Erza rapidly reloaded. She fired again at an older soldier, the single bullet ripping the throat out as it passed down the earthen channel.

It etched into their bones before one younger man dropped his rifle and simply ran, his nerve broken as his comrades were quickly slaughtered by Erza and Kagura…

The soldier lunged at Mira with a crazed look in his eyes as the bayonet hissed through the air. And while most of it missed her, the sharpened tip did split two inches of skin above her right eye. Hissing in pain as crimson liquid started to flow down her face and past her blue iris, Mira pulled the nine millimeter pistol from her hip holster.

The enemy soldier had rushed Mira while she was reloading her lancer, his eyes a look of despicable lust as the irises wandered her body. He didn't get another chance even as he shifted the knife for a downward strike in his right hand. Mira was too close to miss and pressed the muzzle of the pistol to the man's throat in a flurry of movement.

The gun bucked in her hands as the projectile tore through the man's neck. Warm blood splashed against her lips and cheeks, mixing in with her own life blood as she ran forward toward another pile of crates on her left with her hands reloading the lancer on the fly. Bullets hissed past her, some nicking off her gear armor as it sparked from the impacts. Body hitting the crates, she took a deep breath as the cold air tried to cool the throbbing of her fresh head wound.

Levy was busy with her own battle, her machine gun set up on a crate in the middle of the trench line as more men ran down the passage. A long stream of outgoing fire erupted from the muzzle, the light dancing among the shadowed walls as the first four men were almost cut in half by the stream of bullets. Blood flew and spattered the ground as more of the men tried to take cover where they could in a frenzy to escape the slaughter.

A captain pointed his rifle while taking a knee, the wool cap on his head dirty and worn from heavy use. A round flew from his gun, spitting up dirt near Levy as he shouted something to the other men behind him as bullets continued to sing and whisper through the air.

"Iznasilovat' ikh! Oni slabyye zhenschiny!" the dirty solider screamed in fury as he worked the bolt behind his cover of crates.

"What did he say!?" Mira yelled out as she popped out of cover and fired off a short burst at a man down the trench behind a barrel of…something. The rounds tore through his face, turning the jaw into a horror of ruin while gurgled screams erupted from his dying throat. Ducking back into cover as Levy sent a long burst of tracers down the trench, the shorter girl grunted as the stream of lead ruined the torsos of two more men that exposed themselves for too long.

"He's telling his men to rape us for being weak women!" Levy shouted out as the crackling gunfire continued over her short bursts of machine gun fire.

Mira's eyes darkened. She had almost been raped once…and these men were planning on doing that to her and her friends.

"That's not going to happen…" She hissed out before unclipping a fragmentation grenade from her hip belt. Leaning her head out of cover, Mira tossed the grenade down the trench toward the enemy.

It landed with a soft 'thud' next to a bearded man on the opposite side of the trench wall from the…leader. His eyes widened in fear at the small object near his feet…and that was the end of his life. Shrapnel flew, biting into the flesh of the captain as it shredded his exposed flank. Other men screamed, one of them clutching his eyes as the bits of metal gouged them out in an instant. Three more were horribly wounded as their screams of pain echoed down the trench line.

Moving from cover as Levy covered her advance, Mira shot the blinded man in the face without any mercy before turning to the downed captain at her feet. A few stray bullets flew past her from the three unwounded men thirty feet away, but their fire discipline was poor. Levy returned fire, making them duck back into cover as her little burst kept them at bay.

"You think your men can take us" the white haired female hissed as she revved up her chainsaw before the fallen captain as he groaned from his grievous wounds. He was on his back, his eyes wide as realization crossed his features. Plunging the sharpened teeth into his stomach as the chainsaw spun, a horrible scream erupted from his throat as his internal organs were turned to a fine puree of gore. Viscera splashed against Mira's leg guards, coating it in a nightmarish red as she turned to the next wounded man.

He was on his knees in the mud, the severed stump of his right hand cradled by his left as the female approached. Cries were emanating from his throat as his rifle lay nearby.

"Pozhaluysta Ne Nado!" the wounded man yelled out in panic as he tried to raise his arm to stop the enraged woman.

"Die!" Mira yelled in fury as her blood boiled. The chainsaw bit into the soldier's shoulder, tearing away sinew and muscle while bone chips hissed through the air. Fresh specks of gore hit Mira's face as the man screamed like the damned souls of hell.

"AAAUUUUGGHHH!

Vasily Movorov was trying to reload in a frantic manner as the demon executed another of his comrades without a shred of mercy. Ducked behind a stack of crates in the long trench line, he glanced over to Alek Andrinov, his platoon's Sergeant and the only other survivor of their section, Private Donat. Their eyes were like his…full of fear. Another staccato of rapid gunfire screamed past their positions as the sounds of German rifles and machine guns picked up to the west. No way in hell would men further down the line hear of their own battle with…these monsters.

"WHAT DO WE DO!?" Donat yelled as the enraged woman with white hair killed the last of the wounded with…that horrible rifle that made men suffer. Leaning out of cover, he raised the rifle and aimed at the blood covered woman. His hands were shaking as the shorter one shifted her aim toward him and let off another stream of deadly rounds.

Private Donat didn't have a chance as six heavy slugs bore through his chest and out the back, coating the dirt with his insides. Then the silver haired banshee charged with the blade of her unfathomable gun spinning like the devil's toy.

Vasily dropped the small, five round clip of bullets to his rifle, his fear so prevalent as he watched Alex fire point-blank at the charging demon. The rifle round hit her in the chest…right below the heart. She staggered for a moment after the bullet spent its kinetic force, but it didn't pierce the armor.

"SHOOT HER, VASILY!" Alek screamed in fear as he tried to work the bolt of his rifle in time.

"RAAAGHHHH!' She screamed like a feral beast, her movements reaching Alek in moments as the blades dug into his left shoulder. Gore and blood sprayed against her features as his friend screamed his last breath…with some of the ichor hitting Vasily himself.

He broke. These two women had slaughtered the men of his section with ease, cutting through them like pigs as the bodies of dozens of men littered the trenches behind them. He had watched brave men die under their horrible weapons like wheat…and then he screamed as the woman turned to face him. She was the devil.

The ladder nearby was his only salvation as it led over the top of the earthen wall. Climbing up like a feral monkey, he broke into a mad run as he tossed the rifle to the side to lighten his load. No man's land was deadly as tracers lit back and forth to his left and right in the distance…but it was safer than facing that demon.

Rolling into a shallow crater, Vasily's eyes streamed with unfathomable fear as he sprung back up and continued to run toward the German lines…

Captain Dieter Huber stood with his men at the line as the light change of war weaved back and forth around them. A man of just twenty three years with black hair and a narrow face, he had rapidly risen from 2nd lieutenant as losses mounted in battle. The ripping of machine guns in the distance and crackling rifle fire was familiar to them all as the Russians had slowly pushed them back this fall. Clenching his rifle as he aimed over the lip of the cold earth, his blood had ran cold.

While the companies to their left and right flanks were firing with a low ferocity…he and his men had only heard the garbled screams and gunshots at the start following a white light that had kicked off the whole thing. At first, he thought it was a flare, but nobody had fired one as the resounding howls were lost under the cacophony of battle.

"Sir…what's going on over there? The…the screams" Corporal Mueller uttered nearby as he spotted movement in the place no man could tread. Shifting his rifle, he saw one lone man running in the shifting darkness. He was less than fifty yards away….and alone. Starting to press down on the trigger, he paused as the cries reached his ears.

"Ne Strelyay! Ne Strelyay!"

"Sir?" Mueller asked with uncertainty. He knew a little bit of Russian and could hear the pleas of 'don't shoot' over and over again as the lone soldier ran toward their lines.

"Hold your fire!" Captain Dieter ordered as the lone man reached their lines and tumbled in. Hitting the wall, he curled up as tears streamed down his blood covered face. Several of the men aimed their weapons at him, but even they could tell something was wrong.

"Demony! Demony!" he screamed out while clutching his head and burying it against his knees.

Stepping forward, Corporal Mueller sank down to the enemy's eye level.

"What happened over there?" he asked in broken Russian, his words laced with a heavy accent as the terrified man looked at him with fearful eyes.

"D'yavoly...D'YAVOLY!" he screamed as he clutched his ears and buried his face into the dirty knees of his trousers.

"Devils…he said devils…" Mueller translated before pointing toward two private's. "Take him to the aid tent…poor soul" the sandy haired man finished as the soldiers slowly helped the broken man to his feet to lead him to safety. The man may be an enemy…but seeing the mind break like that…it was not something to be taken lightly.

"Sir?" the corporal asked in an unsure tone as Captain Huber turned his head eastward.

"Third platoon with me…something terrified that man so much he was willing to cross no-man's land without a weapon…and it's over there" he finished as dread filled his stomach. Climbing up the ladder and over the top a minute later, twenty three men joined him as they spread out and stayed low and quiet. Rushing forward across the cratered earth as their breath left hidden mist behind them, the soldiers knew how to maintain silence. But…no answering gunfire reached them in their little corner of the war as tracers lit up the night air barely a hundred yards to the north and south.

Reaching the Russian trench line, Captain Huber jumped down with his men into a slaughterhouse of bodies. They were scattered everywhere in all manners of death as frozen faces in their last moments stared off into infinity.

"Spread out and stay quiet. We don't know what's going on here" Huber commanded as he shifted his feet past a dead Russian leaning against the trench wall. The corpse had been shot, the owner's rifle resting against the earthen floor as the Captain and half his men inched forward. More bodies were around them, but they were used to gunshot wounds and shrapnel as they tried to reign in their fear of the unknown.

"My God…" one of the soldiers whispered as their eyes settled on a nearby Russian soldier. His intestines and chest cavity had been ripped open from the shoulder, spilling steaming offal around him. Crouching down, the private tried to examine the wounds before looking back at the captain.

"Sir…he was ripped apart. No artillery did this. It's like he was cleaved vertically down his body with a wood saw" Looking further down the trench, more corpses could be seen in the diminishing night as the rumble of war continued around them.

Nodding at the information, Captain Huber knew something wasn't right. Pointing to another solider as a few stood nearby, he barked out a new order. "Get back to our lines and inform Major Sauer of the situation. Bring reinforcements. Somebody punched a hole in the Russian position's and we can't waste the opportunity. We might be able to retake Rodom if we can pull this off. The rest of you follow me" The officer ordered as the messenger ran off to complete his task.

Gripping his rifle with a light tremble, Huber calmed himself for the benefit of his men. A nearby scream rang out through the night air to the East as a strange buzzing echoed along with more shouting. Quickening his pace, the leader reached the corner of a communication's trench as the wafting stench of meat filled the air. Swinging around the corner with his rifle raised, there was only more corpses…and some of them had been burned to a nightmarish crisp of charred flesh. More bodies lay past them…some ripped apart like before as another staccato of gunfire reached their ears.

It was close. Very close.

"Hurry!" Huber commanded as some of his men were spurned forward by his command. Running down the trench line, their breath was expelled like mist as more screams and a small explosion brewed up ahead.

It was a T-intersection and a few rounds flew past them from the left, colliding harmlessly with the dirt as the first men crouched low at the corner. They were afraid…anybody would be of the unknown in this situation. A short burst of gunfire replied from the left side of the trench followed by yells and screams.

"Now!" Huber ordered as he moved around the corner with his rifle raised with several of his men spreading out. Some turned right, moving down the opposite side of the fortification…and he prayed they would see today through. But…that prayer was quickly forgotten of the sight nearly twenty feet down the path.

It…it didn't make sense to him or his men.

Crouching behind a stack of crates and wooden barrels were two women dressed in the strangest attire he had ever seen. Not dresses or standard clothes women would wear…but armor. It was gray and plate like. Not only covering the majority of their female torsos, but their shoulders, forearms, thighs, and lower legs. Heavy boots adorned their feet…and they were covered with blood and mud.

The female on the right had flowing red hair…much like the legends of a Valkyrie as she yelled something to her black haired compatriot in what sounded like…English. The other woman nodded as she stayed down, using the cover effectively as she reloaded a rifle that looked…terrifying to face.

Instead of the pointed bayonet that all the warring armies of Europe used, these two armored females had weapons that was brandished a chainsaw. And judging by the sprays of blood and gore spattered against their armor and exposed faces…they had used them recently. And the Russian's beyond them…they looked enraged as they took up positions and cover wherever they could. A smattering of gunfire exploded from the enemy's rifles, spitting up shards of wood at the impromptu barricade.

The Scarlet haired woman cursed…and even he could recognize the word 'FUCK!' as she returned fire with a six round burst. A Russian screamed, the lead tumbling through his body as it tore and ruined his flesh. Another took his place while the wounded simply screamed at the pain he was experiencing.

"_Those weapons…that armor. If Germany had that…our soldiers could sweep away our enemies!"_

The snap of a Russian round splitting the air near his right ear interrupted his musings. Spurned into action, Huber crouched low as he pointed at the barricade.

"Man that barricade! I don't care who they are, but if they're fighting the Russians then that means they could be our allies!" Huber shouted out as five of his men ran forward with him to the low boxes. One pitched backward, a heavy round shattering his shoulder as a gasped scream escaped his lips.

Huber didn't have to time to help the wounded as he took cover near the black haired woman. A bullet screeched past her head, making the female flinch before she fired another burst downrange at the Russian troops.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" The captain yelled out as he fired, working the bolt of his rifle with grim efficiency. She said something, but for the life of him, he couldn't understand her words as three enemy men tried to run forward under covering fire. He registered the red head saying something, but it was lost in the noise as she exchanged her rifle for the one just…hanging on her back with no straps or support.

A stream of searing flame erupted from the nozzle, spraying the forward trench with liquified fuel as the three charging men were consumed in a fireball. Their skin popped and burnt as screams echoed through the diminishing night air as the first specks of dawn hit the sky. Only a half dozen men were left before them, their shouts mixing in with crackling bullets as the stench of fresh death rose.

"KAGURA! WITH ME!" Erza screamed out as their new allies continued to fire at the enemy position. The noise was deafening to the female as she jumped over the barricade, the scorcher gripped tight in her hands as her boots landed on the hardened dirt.

"GOT IT!" the other woman shouted out as she ran past Erza toward the closest Russian. The man stabbed at her with a pointed bayonet, his eyes filled with the desire to kill her as she dodged. Shooting him in the face, half the head blew away in an instant as she stomped past him and shoulder charged a second man.

She didn't have time to reload as the male fell, but his death was still sealed as she spun up her chainsaw. Plunging it downward, she executed the man as fresh gore and blood splashed and slid against her shins. Glancing left, Kagura witnessed a flash of red hair as Erza unleashed another stream of burning fuel at the remaining men. They lit up like horrible matchsticks, their last moments a nightmare of agony as fire rippled across them while sealing in the juices.

Only one of the Russians escaped the flames…and he promptly turned and ran…but didn't get far as Kagura shot him in the back. And as the bullet casing clattered to the dirt, both women turned to face Huber and the rest of his men.

"They are like devils…" one of the soldiers whispered in awe…and equal parts fear. They had all seen horrible things at the front…much of this was just a typical day. But to witness two women kill with such…brutality made a few of them question how dangerous half the human race was.

"Like the legendary amazons…" another uttered as Huber slowly stood up. Keeping his rifle lowered toward the ground, he had no illusions that these two women could probably kill him and all his men nearby.

"Do not open fire on them unless they do it first. These are not your typical women" Captain Huber ordered as he climbed over the pile of crates. Boots hitting the packed in dirt, he moved cautiously forward as the females watched his every move. Their grip tightened on their weapons as a finger moved toward the trigger with his approach…which made him stop.

Raising a placating hand, Dieter slowly set his rifle against the trench wall. He felt naked without it, but whoever they were…he needed to try and talk with them. Plus…he was not in the business of shooting beautiful women. Especially if they fought his enemies.

"Captain Dieter Huber" He spoke sternly as he extended a hand toward the woman with flowing red hair. A look of confusion hit her face as she glanced at the other.

"Erza…I think he was telling us his name. And by the looks of it, he or his men don't want to hurt us" Kagura said with a soft tone as the light sounds of movement reached their ears. It was coming from behind the men in dark gray as the war continued to rage all around them.

The woman turned back toward him, her hand slowly extending as his men watched with rifles gripped tightly. If she was hostile and killed Dieter, they would end them both. Her gloved hand gripped his, a small smile gracing her lips despite the specks of blood on her beautiful features.

"Erza Scarlet" she replied before pointing toward her friend nearby. "Kagura Mikazuchi" she introduced as the men all had blank stares.

Nodding at the words, Dieter knew it was English…he just couldn't understand it. But…based on her actions, he was confident the red head just revealed her own name. Relaxing…slightly, the Captain felt confident that the women wouldn't try to kill him or his men as he reached for his rifle. Feeling the two pairs of eyes watching his every move, he felt like a fly on the wall as more soldiers rounded the corner of the temporarily secured trench.

"Sir!" Corporal Mueller said loud enough to be heard as several dozen soldiers streamed past, their boots and movements lost in the night as they ran past the two women to exploit this opportunity.

Turning to his subordinate, Captain Huber was once again shocked as his Corporal stood with two other women in similar armor and with equally deadly weapons. One of them had hair as white as snow…and could be just as beautiful as the other two he had met. But the fact she was covered with drying blood and a fresh bayonet cut decorated the skin above her right eye meant she was just as dangerous…if not more so. Her armor had that same symbol on the chest plate while yellowish lights ran up both sides while one of those deadly rifles was clutched in her hands. Glimpsing to his left was the last woman with blue hair like the ocean. A pair of mechanic goggles rested against her hairline, which implied she might be a mechanic of some sort. But then again…he had never heard of a female mechanic in the first place. Studying her further, he took note of her features as fresh gunfire ruptured further down the trench.

A three inch scar ran along her left cheek, its age a few years if he had to guess. Her height was shorter than the others while the armor covered what could only be a sizeable chest. The woman's waist was encompassed with a utility belt, most likely containing ammunition for the sizeable weapon she carried. But as he studied her appearance, he was interrupted by his Corporal.

"Sir. The major has sent the regiment forward to retake the town. These four ladies cracked a hole in their lines and he wants you to continue the attack" the dirty man informed him as the blue haired woman shifted her feet and stepped forward as more men streamed past to wage war.

"You know we can help. Myself and my friends know how to fight" the female said in perfect German. Eyes widening at the surprise, Captain Huber looked at each four in turn before replying.

"I'm sorry, but I can't allow that with a good conscience" he replied warily as the bluenette's eyes seemed to…harden.

"Is it because we're women? Because let me assure you, we can do anything your men can do" she uttered with a hint of malice and anger.

"That…is part of it. I won't lie. None of my men have witnessed any women fight with such…ferocity. And while its very apparent you can all handle yourselves in a gunfight, you are also strangers. All four of you use advanced weapons and wear armors that shrug off rifle rounds from what I saw of your two friends earlier. But…I'm hoping that you can share how to make such things for my soldiers. Frankly, I don't want to risk you falling into enemy hands or dying for a bombed out town that we will probably hold for a few days at most. The Russians hold the advantage at the moment and will most likely push us to the Vistula. We hope to give them a bloody nose there" The Captain finished as the shorter woman slowly nodded.

"I suppose…that makes sense" Turning to the white haired woman as the other two females approached, the short one explained the situation in rapid English as Huber stood by with a few of his men. The light of dawn was getting brighter, and he knew the Russian's would soon be counterattacking as the women chatted lowly.

"So…what's the deal? Where are we?" Kagura asked Levy as they stood in the muddy trench near the men.

"Well…we basically landed on the Eastern Front of World War One. If we had our magic, we probably could wipe out a few battalions at least, but that's not an option"

"I don't get it! We were heading to Sera! What the hell happened!" Erza asked loudly, her face a patchwork of anger as her thoughts ran to Natsu. _"He probably thinks we're dead…"_

"I have no idea, but I can't figure it out from here in this trench" Levy replied to her friend as Mira butted in, blood still leaking from the fresh cut above her eye. It stung and hurt like hell, but they had much larger issues to deal with.

"So what do you propose? I mean…we are with the German's right now" she informed needlessly as Levy gave a curt nod. The rumble of artillery echoed from the distance, but it didn't disturb her as more men ran past to take the town less than a mile away.

"I say…we help them. Give them technology and weapons to win this war of their's. I mean…if they win, I doubt there would be a sequel. Plus, if we can set up a lab, I might be able to figure out what happened and why the fuck we were glowing in…that portal storm"

"And what about the Allies? This will change history here drastically" Erza said once more as her reasoning came into play.

"Um…fuck France? And no matter what, Britain and the U.S.A. would come out on par…hell, we don't even know what year it is right now. For all we know, this is still the first year of the war" she finished while glancing at the few men and the Captain guarding them. _"DAMMIT LEVY! YOU JUST HAD TO LEAVE YOUR PORTAL GUN IN THE GUILD! Seriously! Just because the Seran's have some spares lying about doesn't mean you should leave yours behind! You just acted as stupid as any of the bimbo's!"_ She mentally raged at herself, the itch to scream frustrations to the heavens almost palpable. But…she kept her cool as the other three thought about it.

Throwing up her arms, Erza relented in a huff as they all realized they wouldn't find anything out crawling through trenches. "Fine! But remember I'm an actual combat soldier! If you expect me to just sit around while you invent things, your mistaken. I know how to fight and if I had men under my command, I…ah…just forget it for now" the attractive soldier finished with an exasperated tone. They all needed to get back home and the German's were probably their best chance.

After a few minutes, they seemed to reach an accord as the bluenette turned back. "Sorry, had a little conversation. But alright…take us behind the lines and we'll help your country if you help us get back to where we belong"

"Very well…but If I may ask, what are your capabilities miss…?"

"Levy McGarden. And I am a scientist that develops weapons in my spare time" she smirked, her confidence waving off her body as Captain Huber nodded. _"If that's true, she could be a highly valuable asset! I can not risk their safety for the good of Germany"_

"Corporal Mueller. Take these ladies back to command with those four men providing escort. They are to be protected by any and all means…I'm sure you men all know what will happen if you anger them" the Captain warned. After all…they were definitive beauties stuck with young, horny soldiers that hadn't seen a female in weeks or months. But if he were honest…he'd be more worried about his men providing escort. The dozens of corpses in the trench had solidified that belief.

"Yes sir" Mueller replied as he led the way with his four guards and the women enclosed in a ring of protection. Captain Huber was already running off to rejoin the attack, his worry for the men part of why the company loved him as their leader.

Marching through the trenches, the small group started to head back toward the established German lines even as hundreds of men poured through the gap between the warring armies as the crimson sky of dawn started to dip the land in light as battle raged back and forth…

**And there! The first chapter of these four women in WW1! And yeah…like I said, I'm no historian. So if you don't like it, don't read it. I just don't want to hear a bunch of historic facts about so and so place when this is obviously fanfiction. But as stated earlier, this will be a short arc before the girls move on to…whatever universe is next. While thinking about it…I might try shorter chapters for an arc instead of just one massive chapter. And obviously they won't be staying for the duration of the war. And if your wondering why Levy can speak German, she injected translator technology into her neck during my Rick and Morty one shot…which allows the speaking and understanding of any language lol Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it and leave some positive reviews! And check out No Hope No Escape in the Resident Evil section of the site! It's a good read written by yours truly! So check it out if you haven't yet!**

**Levy: Wow…didn't expect to be killing Russians today**

**Erza: Well…they shouldn't have fired at us**

**Mira: Or tried to rape us**

**Kagura: I just had to volunteer to join you three psycho's…**

**Erza: Don't worry Kagura! If we survive this, you can join the sisterhood and fuck Natsu!**

**Kagura: *Blushes Crimson***

**This is Thehappy signing off!**


	2. The Eastern Front

**Hello Everybody! I am back with another chapter for your eye holes to ingest! And I am sorry for taking so long to update on this. With my upcoming move and buying a condo along with a full time job, I'll be pretty busy over the next month. So if you don't see an update from me for like…a month or so, I haven't quit. I've just been moving into my new place.**

**Also…kinda surprised I got seven reviews for the first chapter of this one. I'm not complaining, just…expected less. But even though they are nice, I do this for my own enjoyment and yours. Anyway, if you haven't checked, my Resident Evil story was updated recently. Readers are saying it captures the fear of the games…so kudos to myself!**

**Anyway, here's the next chapter! I don't own any media or historical facts!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Eastern Front**

Erza was at the front of the pack of women, her ears and senses trying to pick up any approaching threat as the armored females walked through the muddy trench among their escorts. Artillery boomed ahead of them from some unknown location, sending a rain of steel against the enemy army as machine gun and rifle fire cracked and snapped behind them.

They were leaving this area of battle, moving down a zigzagging trench as several soldiers in dirty gray ran past, their eyes fearful of what could happen to them. Some glanced their way, their pupils filled with mild confusion of how four females ended up at the front lines…especially in strange armor that still had drying blood and gore upon it.

Minutes of walking passed with Mueller leading them through the maze of trenches, the distinctive crack of firearms mixing into a dull roar of battle as their breath misted in the winter air. The sun was starting to brighten in the sky, but that didn't mean it was freezing.

Feeling the light sting of cold air, Kagura walked behind her childhood friend as the trench started to rise out of the earth on an incline. Farting engines of simple trucks with thin tires rumbled nearby as some stopped near supply depots where men of the quartermaster corps started to unload food, munitions, and medical supplies. It looked like a hive of activity as multiple tents of all types were erected in the field of mud and dirt. A…road, if it could be called that, led into the distance toward a small hamlet of buildings. Turning her eyes toward the concussive boom of artillery firing, the black haired woman saw a battery of pieces dug in as gouts of flame fired at distant targets. Briefly she wondered if the…Russian's could reach them here with their own, but no answering bombardment came as the group continued to walk toward a larger tent.

Mira's dirty boots sucked in the freezing mud as she walked next to Levy in the cold. While she was glad not to be in life and death combat against some unknown enemy…she could hear the mutterings in a strange language as they constantly moved past groups of male soldiers. Their eyes and stares told her all she needed to know. Making their way further as their escorts kept a close perimeter, Mira eyed five or six men standing near a stack of ammunition crates as several smoked cigarettes. One leered at her, saying something in a different tongue from just ten feet away.

"Stellen Sie sich diese Frau auf dem Rucken vor…ich wurde ihr eine tolle zeit bereiten!"

Staring back at man with a bulbous nose as his friends laughed, she sneered at him as her head still throbbed from the close call with a bayonet. The blood had finally slowed, but she would need stitches soon.

"What did that man just say Levy?" Mira asked with a hint of anger and deadly rage in her eye.

"Nothing you don't want to know. It's typical male bragging about what they would do if they had us in the bedroom. But we both know Natsu would shame him every time. Just ignore the fool" the shorter woman replied as Mueller led them to a larger tent. Soldiers constantly entered and left with messages or orders, implying its significance.

Holding up a hand, the German solider looked at Levy since she was the impromptu translator before glancing at the other three women. They were still covered in blood and gore…the one with white hair still bleeding. But his orders were clear. Get them to command unharmed with utmost haste.

"This is regimental command. Behave yourselves" he mildly scolded as the…scientist translated for her three female friends. Mueller licked his lips…it…had been a long time since he saw a woman…let alone four beautiful things such as them. Pushing the thoughts back with a gulp as he remembered their ferocity, he moved the tent flap as the four strange soldiers followed him inside.

The tent was warm, a hive of activity as a large map of the region was displayed on a display board to the left. Beside it was a radio set, an operator at the console as the large, blocky device hummed and clicked. A field telephone sat in a cradle on the same table, its color of black highly noticeable but unused for the moment. The radio was…large for a piece of technology as the uniformed man turned a dial before scribbling down some new orders. This information was gathered in seconds as the group settled on the man behind the desk who looked up as a gust of cold fluttered some papers.

He was older…perhaps in his mid thirties or early forties as the first signs of graying hair crept along the temples. A large, black mustache adorned his upper lip as the tips curled upward in what appeared to be the style for many of the men here. A relatively clean uniform was worn, but very few insignia could be seen by the women as Mueller cleared his throat. He didn't salute as it was an unwritten order among the troops near the front…saluting just made you stand out.

"Sir"

Looking up at the disturbance, Major Erich Matterhein was…surprised to say the least. He had just received a runner speaking of a light breakthrough at Rodom, which he was happy to exploit. Even if his troops only held it for a few days or a week, it would be thorn in the Czar's army and spoil any attack until it was dealt with. That bought valuable time for Warsaw as the city prepared to defend the crossing of the Vistula River from the Russian enemy.

But…he really didn't expect to find four heavily armed women in his tent with…very deadly weapons. They didn't raise them threatening manner…but his hackles rose anyway. These four…were dangerous if provoked. Add the fact that they were all covered with manners of gore…that their strange armors seemed to have…gunshot impacts...his curiosity was piqued.

"Corporal? Enlighten me why there are four women in an active war zone that is under my command"

Nodding with a heavy gulp, the lowly soldier started to reveal the tale of how he and the other's encountered the four women fighting the Russians…how they created a breach in the lines for them to exploit during the night…their brutal tactics against the enemy…even how the one with blue hair was a scientist and could help Germany win this war…if her claims were to be believed. The entire tale took about twenty minutes to relay to the major as he listened silently as other men continued to go about their business. They were all curious…but that wasn't their job as the tale was finally finished.

Giving a low nod, the major looked toward the short one with blue hair and a scar along her cheek. Frankly…she looked to be a terrifying woman if truly angered. And judging by the bloody bayonet of her…light machine gun, she was not afraid to kill. Never mind the strange color of her hair or the taller one with a bleeding cut above her eye…but words were cheap. Anybody could claim anything for an advantage.

"I'm assuming you understood all of that?" Matterhein asked in his native tongue before the woman nodded.

"Sure did. Unfortunately, my three friends don't know German"

"I see. And your claim to being a scientist… I find that hard to believe. Women are generally regulated to raising children and housework. If they do have jobs it's mostly in a capacity that men don't want. No offense, but I've never heard of any nation using female combat soldiers in any capacity" He briefly paused as he lit up a cigarette, the wafts of smoke dancing in the room before he gaze settled on all four women. "Because if your lying to me, I'll be under the assumption you mean myself or the men under my command harm. That…can have dire consequences" He warned simply. Just because they were female didn't mean they could be spies of some sort. But…he really didn't believe that. The point of spies was to be un-noticed…not kill dozens of men and ally yourself with the enemy.

"So…a test of proof?"

"If you wouldn't mind. For all I know, the corporal here could just be under your womanly spell…a fate that has befallen many men throughout history"

"Well…we are beautiful" Levy quipped before looking around. Eyeing the radio station, she quickly walked over as her three friends watched while the rest of the men in the tent were stopped by their curiosity. _"Hmmm…I guess I could improve the range and efficiency"_

"What's she doing?' Kagura asked Erza who simply shrugged. She had stopped trying to figure out all of Levy's moods long ago. She was helping herself to a small tool chest filled with spare tubes and components that sat on a small table just next to the station.

Speaking softly to the radio operator, the younger technician slid to the side as Levy used a screwdriver to loosen a panel after powering down the radio. The machine's interior was a tangle of copper wires and vacuum tubes as she set to work. Pulling off the top casing as more tubes were yanked out by her slender hands, the short woman was simply mumbling to herself as Matterhein watched the woman work with growing unease.

"You've ripped apart that whole set!" he shouted at the female who promptly shushed him with a wave of her hand.

"Let me work" Levy replied simply as she started to rearrange wires and critical components with tools in hand.

"Levy…" Kagura warned lightly, the black haired woman not completely familiar with the blunette.

"It's fine. She's built the first Jupiter tank and helped design the Magnolia gate. A simple radio wont phase her" Mira smirked before groaning. The bayonet cut still hadn't been treated. Turning to the major as he watched the shorter woman work, the taller female approached his field desk…which was really nothing but a board slapped over two barrels of wood.

Matterhein looked at the woman that approached, her body armor covered with gore and pieces of…something he preferred not to know. She pointed to the oozing cut above her left eye, a small grimace on her face as the blood started to dry. She said something, but Erich had no idea what…still, he could guess what she wanted.

Rising up from his chair, the major moved across the tent and retrieved the small first aid kit from another table. His boots gave a small thump across the wooden planks that sank into the mud as he handed the kit to her.

"_Still…very odd to see somebody so young with such white hair…"_ He reasoned as the female said something in a grateful attitude. Watching for a few brief moments as the redhead approached and started to dig through the kit, the older soldier could almost…feel their comradery.

"_Wherever they came from…whatever nation they praise loyalty to…these four are soldiers. They are not some fresh troops that just arrived at the front…"_

"Done!" Levy said with a cheer as she powered the radio back on. Turning his attention from the other two, Erich approached the station as his technician retook his seat. The young man had the earpiece pressed against his head before his eyes went wide.

"My god!" he shouted before turning in his chair toward the major. "Sir! I…I can reach Warsaw! I…I just heard Central Army command!"

"What? But that's over a hundred kilometers away!"

"It's true sir! And it's…clear. No static or losses of signal!"

"_This…if she could do this to one set in a matter of minutes…if they are willing to share some other secrets…this could win us the war! This advancement in communications alone could shift things in our favor!"_

"Can you make more radio sets like this? Command would be very interested" Matterhein asked the shorter female who laughed with a feminine tone of humor.

"That was child's play. If I had all the parts, I could build you some short wave radios that could be carried on a man's back or even in his hand" The woman finished as the major nodded eagerly. Sprinting toward his desk, he filled out orders and signed them with a flourish.

Pressing them into Corporal Mueller's hands, the major leveled a gaze with the younger man. "You are to escort these four women to Warsaw. Once there, procure passage on a train to Berlin and take them strait to the G.H.Q. Take my command car…these four cannot be risked…understand?" the major warned as Mueller gave his assent.

"Yes sir!" he said with a hint of joy. This was a golden assignment…to guard four pretty women and be away from the front lines. It was a dream come true.

Turning to the four women who were now all gathered up, Erich eyed the fresh stitches on…Mira's forehead. They were cleaned and professional…a job well done by Erza if he recalled the name from the earlier introductions. Levy was standing with them all, her deadly light machine gun in her hands as the major eyed the weapon. She had been talking with the other three, most likely informing them of their new plans.

"Tell me miss, could you design weapon's such as the ones you carry along with the powerful radios?"

"Probably. It's mainly an issue of what your factories can make" the scarred female shrugged as Matterhein nodded with a hidden sense of glee. His mind went to his men all carrying such firepower, mowing down the Russians with ease as Imperial forces claimed victory against her many enemies. Yes…they could be the key…

"Levy. Ask him if we can resupply. We don't know what could happen on our trip to…Warsaw" Erza asked in English as her friend quickly translated to the Major before her.

"Think we can stock up on ammunition before we leave? We expended quite a bit at Rodom" Levy asked with a hint of annoyance. _"I need to teach these three some basic German…at least enough to get by with simple questions and answers"_

"Of course" Matterhein replied as he held the tent flap open, admitting a gust of freezing air inside as the five quickly funneled out into the cold winter. Closing the flap, he went back to the radio and requested a message to the commanders in Warsaw of the priority personnel he was sending their way.

Little did he know that his actions this day would turn the wheels of fate toward Germany's favor in this ghastly war that had already seen tens of thousands die...

**Approximately 5:30 p.m. November 19****th**** The outskirts of Warsaw.**

The journey to the larger city had been a jarring nightmare for the four women as Corporal Mueller tried to avoid another glaring pothole in the muddy and half frozen road. Simply put, the four had felt every single jounce and rumble in the simple vehicle that rattled their teeth through hours of travel.

Not only that, but military traffic had been a nightmare of horse drawn wagons, ambulances that had just as much difficulty with wounded inside, and all manner of other traffic from men moving toward the front and units being relieved after weeks of hard fighting. Add that into the fact the weather was freezing and sleeting rain upon the group…and it had been miserable.

"I swear. The first thing the Germans should build is fucking roads without potholes in them! This is-" Levy was interrupted by the car bucking again as she sat in the front seat with the Corporal who gave a half hearted apology in his native tongue.

"It can't be helped Levy. From what you explained, this world just invented flight barely a decade ago and motorized vehicles just a few years earlier. It's understandable their roadways haven't been upgraded yet" Erza tried to reason as the cold wind and water hit her face. It bit like needles and pinpricks.

It was freezing…but at least the underlay's of her Gear armor kept her warm enough. Plus, the quartermaster was kind enough to give them all military hats to wear. She did have a suspicion that the men had been eyeing her with lust. But she dismissed it as Kagura spoke up.

"I'm just amazed that their rifles use the same ammunition as our lancers. What are the odds of that?" the woman asked as the car finally reached a brick lined road among the outskirts of Warsaw. Shorter buildings lined the road and progressively got taller and more numerous the further they travelled into the city.

Glancing to her right, Levy could see a river passing through the city as distant smoke rose from fires across the way. The Russian's held the eastern part of the urban center, trying to force and take the last bridge in the city center as the rest had been destroyed by the German army in it's retreat. Rumbling artillery boomed and crashed on their side at some unknown target as the Czar's forces kept up the pressure. Snapping gunfire was heard along with the roars of war as Levy finally turned back to Kagura.

"Pretty good actually. Once firearm technology reaches a certain point, cartridge sizes tend to follow a set pattern. Obviously specialized weapons could have different calibers, along with enemy nations using different measurements. But the standard German bullet seems to just…follow a pattern that the Seran's did themselves…and later our own world " She shrugged as their driver continued to weave through the throng of men and military traffic in the city. Apartment buildings were all around them now, civilian's huddling inside as they tried to weather the storm of war and ice around them.

Stopping with a squeal of brakes at an intersection as several groups of armed men ran past, Mira could instantly hear the rapid increase in gunfire to her immediate right as she looked down the brick roadway toward the river.

It was subtle at first…just a few pieces of loose brick or craters in the road…but it got more pronounced…more damaged as her gaze continued. Buildings were not complete. Many missing whole facades as skeletal windows looked down at the nearby river. Men were shouting, firing at unknown targets on the other side as the ripping of a machine gun and fresh artillery started to fire. Screaming could be heard. Some of anger and hate…others much more horrible.

Mira moved on instinct. Jumping out of the car, her feet were already running toward the action as the fresh stitches above her eye throbbed. Freezing rain and sleet stung her cheeks as she ran toward the embattled bridge just four streets away.

"MIRA! Grr…DAMMIT!" Erza yelled out in frustration as she too leapt from the car and followed her friend toward the unfurling battle.

"What are they doing? I have orders to get you to Berlin!" Corporal Mueller asked with a loud shout as Levy and Kagura climbed out, weapons already cradled in their arms. The two just gave one last look to their escort before running off, their heavy boots splashing through slush as they disappeared into the crowd of advancing soldiers to the waterfront.

"Damn…damn women never listen" The man muttered before grabbing his own rifle from its spot on the dashboard. Checking to make sure a round was chambered, he ran off after them with fear clutching in his throat.

Mira ran forward as she rushed by soldiers heading toward the battle site that seemed to be unfurling around a large bridge spanning the snaking river though the city. She was largely ignored as the increasing snap of gunfire had her full attention. The large bridge before her spanned the entire river, its steel beams still without rust as German soldiers fired downrange at a mass of men trying to storm the suspended roadway.

Hitting a makeshift barricade of crates and other debris that spanned the entire width of the bridge, she flinched as a man died with a scream next to her. A spray of hot blood creased her left cheek from the dying man as another German soldier took his place in seconds. Gunfire hammered into the position, spitting shards of wood everywhere as tracers of machine gun and rifle fire lit up the river from both sides. Spent brass was everywhere as Mira glanced down at the actual waterflow below.

Russian's were in boats, trying to stage an amphibious assault in conjuncture with the bridge assault as imperial troops fired at the helpless men. A machine gun opened up from a third story window, unleashing a scythe of death among one of the boats laden with men. They screamed and panicked, bits of flesh flying away as wounded fell into the deathly cold water. More men in the building opened fire, enacting a horrible toll as enemy soldiers on the other side tried to provide support. More Russians were being killed, but the weight of numbers was starting to make-way as more watercraft from simple rowboats to barges were launching from the distant bank.

Artillery shells landed nearby among the roadway lining the river, enacting a butcher's bill as pieces of men flew while others screamed from hot steel. It was a horrible sound…something she wished she wasn't familiar with as she tired to block it out for now. German artillery answered in kind. Some landing on the far side among the ruins of homes while other munitions landed in the river. One landed in the staging area on the Russian side. It was a horrible bloom of flying steel and shrapnel, killing and maiming dozens of packed men awaiting their turn to embark. The murky water started to run red with blood as horrible screams echoed through the air.

Shaking her head, Mira re-concentrated and the task at hand. Starting to rise up, a bullet snapped past her ear making her flinch. It was instinctual as a part of her mind knew that slight dodge would've been far too late.

Gulping as another man screamed nearby, she tried again as she finally got a view of the suspended bridge in front of her. It was a tangle of barricades and obstacles as German men further ahead tried to stem the tide of the Czar's forces. Bullets cracked and split the air, killing without remorse as the female knew what she had to do.

Climbing over the barricade, she leapt into the open as several men finally noticed that a…a white haired woman was charging into murderous fire…then three more quickly followed.

"Mira! Don't rush too far ahead!" Erza shouted to her friend as she sprinted past soldiers. Levy and Kagura were right behind her, cradling their weapons as incoming gunfire split the air. The white haired woman probably didn't hear her, continuing her crouched run to the furthest barricade as a small group of German soldiers crouched down behind the ruins of an overturned truck and wooden barrels. They were firing constantly, covering the wounded as best they could while one soldier held an explosive plunger in his hands.

Kagura staggered, a bullet ricocheting off her armor with a spark and heavy blow. Her chest hurt and throbbed, but she wasn't dead as she finally took cover behind some barrels. Standing up with anger in her eyes, she fired at an approaching Russian. A three round burst took off the top of his head, spraying the dirty pavement with gore as several more surged forward.

"You will fall here!" she yelled over the din of war as she took quick shots, killing another five men in as many seconds. Ducking down as a hail of bullets flew her way, she looked over to her friends and the last five men still standing.

Private Earnst Fischer looked in shock and awe as four…women seemed to come out of nowhere to support his dwindling squad. Not just the fact that they were women, but how one just shrugged off a direct rifle shot to the chest. Then she opened fire with a rifle he had never seen before as the others did the same. He was so shocked in fact that he completely missed the words when one with…sky blue hair shouted something at him.

Shaking the fogginess from his mind as the one with Red hair let off a long burst from nearby, he re-centered his eyes on the one with a scar.

"Wh..what?"

"What are you waiting for! You have explosives right!? Blow this damn bridge!" she shouted in fury before exposing herself to enemy fire. Tracers sped past her head, but this shorter woman barely noticed as she laid down a chattering nightmare of hot lead. Brass tinkled to the pavement from her light machine gun as Earnst's eyes widened. Snapping up his pistol, the combat engineer fired off a round as one of the Russians somehow made it past their barricade. He missed, the bullet travelling into the distance as the red head turned with a snap of movement and flowing hair. She flicked a small switch on her weapon…and the chainsaw at the end started up in a flurry of spinning teeth.

What he saw next would haunt him for the rest of his life as this strange woman dug that deadly weapon into the shoulder of the enemy. He screamed in an unholy nightmare as the teeth dug and split flesh, spattering her armor and features with crimson gore.

"FUCK! IT GOT IN MY HAIR!" Erza yelled as she finished executing the man in mere seconds. Blood dripped down her chin as bone flecks decorated her crimson locks. Growling in rage, she turned toward the closest enemies who had momentarily stopped in their tracks. Jumping over the barrel as the ruined truck was on her left, the knight sprinted toward the closest man. Flipping her lancer, she had the chainsaw running on high before plunging it into the man's stomach.

YYYEEAAAAUUGHHHH!"

The scream howled across the bridgeway, freezing dozens of Russians in fear as they watched one of their comrades literally ripped apart by a mad woman. And when she was done, the female fired at the next closest man. His throat was torn out by the passing bullet as she grabbed a grenade from her belt in a fluid of motion. Hurling it through the air, it landed among three still frozen men before detonating in an explosion of hate and steel.

The renewed screams seemed to un-pause the attackers as they started to advance once more.

"ERZA! GET BACK HERE!" Mira yelled over the carnage of war as she covered her friend that made a sprint to the barricade. Lancer fire chattered and mixed in with bolt action rifles, the small group fighting at the tip of the spear to hold the Russians at bay.

"The wire! It got cut!" Earnst shouted out as rifle bullets impacted the metal carriage of the ruined truck.

"Where!?" Levy asked in a yell as she reloaded her L.M.G. Setting it on a wooden barrel, she squeezed the trigger as a deadly stream like hail erupted from the muzzle. A group of charging enemy men were mowed down in seconds, their screams filling the air as the few survivors howled toward the heavens. Cordite and the stench of fear lingered in the air as she ducked back down, her gaze on the engineer who pointed past her.

Following his extended finger, she saw the torn wire laying among the slush and snow covered concrete in the open near the railing of the bridge.

"Shit…All of you cover me!"

"You got it!" Mira and Kagura responded in unison as they continued firing down range at the surging numbers of enemy combatants. Erza reloaded, snapping in a fresh magazine as she gave a simple nod to her friend. Standing up, she exposed herself to danger once more as one of the German soldiers fired his Mauser.

"COVER HER!" the knight indicated to the surviving soldiers with a heavy scream before hitting a charging Russian in heavy winter clothing with a short burst. He spun, blood flying in an arc as the few troops seemed to understand.

Dread filling her heart, Levy sprinted from cover as her friends fired in unison with their new allies. Bullets kicked up the air, but most of it was directed at the impromptu fortification as she slid into position.

Slush soaked through her pants, chilling her buttocks as she grabbed the frayed wire. It was simple in her opinion…and easily repaired as her nimble fingers fixed the fray with ease. Tightening it with one last twist as a stray round sparked off the railing nearby, she found herself moving back into cover on automatic.

Earnst didn't need instructions on what to do next. He pressed the plunger down, creating a small signal spark that traveled along the wire in moments as it moved toward the bundles of explosives that hung under the middle of the bridge further ahead.

'**BBBBOOOOOOM!'**

It was like the end of the world as the four women threw themselves flat against the freezing bridgeway. A blast of dust and flying shrapnel shrieked through the air like the screams of hell. The concrete road one hundred yards ahead bucked upward in a flash of orange and red as the entire width of the bridge disappeared in a flash. Men were killed in an instant from their bodies being blown apart while others died from the concussive force as roiling orange flames and shattered bits of concrete flew through the air. Even more spilled into the freezing river, never to be seen again as they drowned in the murky darkness under tons of rubble and twisted steel. Seeing their main venue of assault literally blow up in their faces, the remnants of the assaulting Russian companies took up positions on their side of the bridge to try and enact a toll of suffering against the Germans. Renewed rifle fire split the air through the swirling snow as the raging battle continued all along the riverfront of Warsaw.

"Kagura! Start picking off their officers! Anybody that knows what they're doing!" Erza shouted to her friend as she spit out a tang of coppery blood from her mouth. Her ears were ringing from the blast as a few fresh cuts decorated her feminine face. Shaking her head as she moved into a crouch, she saw many of the others doing the same.

"Got it!" the mermaid heel mage shouted back as bullets zipped and whizzed over her head. Unslinging her longshot rifle, the woman had the scope near her eye in a flourish of movement as the image of a Czarist soldier shouting commands at his men to continue firing jumped in size. Centering on his exposed head, his foolishness would be his demise. A quick squeeze of the trigger bucked the rifle against her shoulder as the distant man's head exploded into a horrid paste of shattered bone and flesh. Working the bolt as fast as she could, Kagura found a second target. That man too perished as she ducked back down seconds later. A spattering of rounds thudded against the overturned truck and makeshift barricade as she started to move toward Mira's side.

The white haired woman had exposed herself to harm once more, a string of heavy rounds chattering and striking flesh in the distance…or missing completely. Ducking down to reload, the girlfriend of Natsu grimaced as another of the German troops let out a startled shriek of agony. He fell with a heavy thud in the open, his body thrashing as a Russian round had taken an eye in a single moment. Pieces of his eye socket were hanging by threads of skin as blood started to course down his neck among his screams. Mira didn't think as she grabbed his uniform and pulled him near her, the shrieks of horror piercing her heart as the small group continued to fight. She would do what she could to help him as bullets panged and zipped overhead.

"We need more firepower!" Levy shouted as she glanced toward her left at the murky river. Russian barges and boats were still loading up, which meant that assault was still moving forward…and she had no intention of becoming their prisoner.

"We need more men up here!" Erza screamed out as another heavy fusillade snapped above her head.

"No shit! Come on!" Levy yelled with a hitch of fear in her voice as she stayed low. Running back toward the German lines along the waterway as bullets snapped over her head along with Erza, the shorter woman finally recognized a combat officer crouching at the entranceway to the now partially standing bridge. He was a Captain with a standard helmet, his body hunched down behind a wall of mortared stone as dozens of other men fired down toward the river. It was an endless parade of gunshots and screams as the first boats managed to hit the bank barely thirty feet away. Men spilled from the craft in an attempt to organize an effective assault up the muddy bank of soil. Some slipped, sealing their fate as withering fire bit and tore at their ranks.

Levy cursed as she and Erza took up positions on either side of the veteran. He glanced at the women in strange armor with rifles…but really didn't care at the moment as he fired at a Russian man trying to climb up the embankment. The target screamed, a burst of fresh blood on his uniform as he spun and fell into the freezing mud. Another man stepped on the fallen wounded, trying to find purchase as he ran forward with a bayoneted rifle in his hands.

"Dammit! They're brave but foolish bastards!" the scarred woman yelled out as she heaved her light machine gun onto the lip of the stone wall. A second boat had landed, dispelling more soldiers onto the bank as a large barge crept closer and closer. Geysers of water were kicked up, falling artillery shells seeking targets among the water. Another distant craft brewed up by a direct hit, screams of dying men howling across the wind as the survivors plunged into the frigid liquid.

"LIGHT EM' UP!" Levy screamed over the sound of war as she squeezed the trigger of her weapon. A staccato of death and lead flashed from the muzzle, stitching a horrible string of suffering as she fired directly into a mass of soldiers trying to spread out away from their boat.

Those men were too slow.

Erza gritted her teeth in a grim manner as she poured lancer fire at an angle into the attacking men. They fell like wheat before a thresher as she and Levy along with other troops along the waist high wall enacted a nightmare upon them. Screaming and howls of agony were quickly cut off as limbs and flesh flew among the dying as the barge laden with a battalion's worth of men crept closer through the swirling snow.

Levy ducked down to reload a box magazine as she tried to make sense of the situation. A few stray bullets cracked and chipped at the stone wall, but it was scattered and ineffective. Only a few men were hit on her side as firing picked up in the distance. But that wasn't something she could control right now. Spotting a heavy machine gun further down the line, the shorter woman waved her friend along as the last few Russians died under heavy fire from emplaced troops…but more were coming.

The red head followed her friend, largely ignoring the strange looks she received from the troops around her. Many were too busy fighting to care or question it as she crouched low, her haunches sore.

"What's the plan?' She tried to ask as another salvo of heavy artillery landed in the water. Close hits were common, spraying hot shrapnel as shrieks of pain washed past her ears. It was a familiar sound to her now as Levy stopped at the heavy machine gun. Glancing at the two weapon operators who were hastily reloading, the shorter woman pointed toward the rapidly approaching barge.

"Konnen Sie diese armen bastarde auf diesem verdammten lastkhan toten!?"

(_Can you kill those poor bastards on that fucking barge!?")_

The men followed her finger and nodded. The watercraft was still fifty feet out and helpless…the perfect target as the gunner swiveled the heavy machine gun to bear. An explosion of noise and spent cordite followed the staggering gunfire as tracers tacked across the front ranks of doomed men. They fell like bowling pins as Levy and Erza lent their own efforts to stop the assault. Howls of horror and pain reached them, but the defenders didn't care as infantry poured more rifle fire onto the lumbering craft. In seconds the deck was slick with dead bodies and blood as the living tried to jump over the side, risking their chances in the rushing waters.

It was a deplorable sight as the battalion melted away, leaving only the broken and dying wounded to hit the embankment.

Erza could feel a horrible sympathy for those dying men…they were just doing their jobs. But she held no illusions after years of fighting the locust and some of the worst evils man could produce. This was kill or be killed…and she rather kill then be captured or…suffer a worse fate. She was a beautiful woman and knew that capture by furious men would most likely end in rape.

Firing at a small craft that was closing on the shore to her far left, her lancer shuddered against her armored shoulder as flying brass cartridges ejected from the port of her rifle. More men screamed and died, ripping bullets piercing soft flesh in the blink of an eye as she ran through the whole magazine in seconds. Squatting down to reload as the hammering of the heavy machine gun finally ceased, she barely heard Levy speaking in the German tongue once more. It was only until a pat on her shoulder by her friend did she finally come out of her thoughts.

"Erza! Grab that spare ammo! We're heading back to the bridge!" the crazy woman shouted out as the two men started to break down the H.M.G. Eyeing the small crates with spare belts of ammunition, the knight grumbled as she picked up four in a stack. That small feat garnered more strange looks from men about the strength of themselves and women in general…those filled boxes weren't light.

Grunting with effort as she followed the small group, Erza silently cursed Levy who was only carrying the tri-pod of the weapon. They hurried, moving as fast as they could toward their friends still fighting on the bridge as a lieutenant barked orders for more men to move forward. Bullets snapped from the Russian side of the bridge, their efforts more in anger than any attempt to cross the collapsed span.

Levy reached Kagura and Mira, both women ducked down as bullets sounded like rain against the ruined truck that was their haven. Erza was a few seconds later as she practically dropped the ammunition crates near the machine gun team.

"WHAT THE FUCK TOOK YOU!?" Mira shouted out in anger as she kept pressure on a wounded man with a horrible eye wound. Her hands were bloody, slick with lifeblood as bandages were quickly soaked through with red. A man with a crimson cross stitched on his uniform ran up in a crouch, saying something unintelligible to the white haired woman as he gently took charge of the wounded male on the ground. She let him, recognizing the universal symbol for first aid as another bullet snapped past them all.

Getting some extra hands to help out" she lightly grinned as the machine gun was soon set up on their left. Moving past Mira with Erza on her flank, Kagura followed toward the partially shattered barrels on their right side.

The machine gun came to life as Kagura once more came out of cover with her longshot ready. But it wouldn't be needed as yellowed tracers burned through the freezing air toward the company of czarist troops. It was a butchery of dying men as arms, legs and other pieces flew away in a refreshed hell of suffering. Holes were blown through chest cavities or tore open stomachs, spilling steaming gore to the pavement as the rank and file broke under the assault.

The survivors ran, retreating with the wounded they could recover as Kagura opted to not fire. She felt…dirty at the concept of firing into the backs of men. Looking at Erza, Mira, and Levy as they did the same, the mage could feel the incoming fire considerably slacken before tapering off. "Is…is that it?" She asked her three friends as the machine gun crew shifted their weapon to point toward the northern part of the Vistuala river. A renewed fusillade erupted from the gun, the target another boat laden with Russian troops as the helpless screamed in futility. Dozens of German infantry took positions on both sides of the remaining bridge, firing down at the water as their brethren still fought from the road lining the embankment. It was a horrible enfilade of crossfire as any hope the assault force had quickly fell apart.

The Russian assault failed minutes later. With the last crossing in Warsaw gone, the attacking army's offensive option fell apart in minutes. The defenders were now able to fully concentrate on the water craft…and the they didn't show mercy. Machine gun, artillery, and standard arms enacted a murderous toll among the barges and boats as thousands of men died over the next hour all along the waterway. Russian Officers tried to halt it when they heard the news, but it was almost impossible to halt once it got underway. Divisions were reduced to Regiments as the Czar's armies retreated to the East bank, trying to lick their wounds as any future assault would have to take place to the south or further north. But for the foreseeable future…Warsaw belonged to Germany. And among the survivors of that bridge assault…whispers were born of nightmarish women that butchered and maimed without mercy…of Amazon's that favored the Kaisers efforts in battle.

"Oh god…I'm still alive…" Private Fischer whispered in a gasp as he glanced once more at the four women. They were covered in spatters of gore and blood…sweat and grime…and he thought they were stunningly beautiful. Looking around, only three of his fellow squad mates were still alive as reinforcements took up the burden. Prickling his ears, he looked down the road as several frontline officers moved forward. They were dirty and removed and brass insignia, trying to not stand out as they crouched down near the truck.

"You men! Medals for all of you! And Promo—" the Colonel started to rave before settling his gaze on the four females.

"What…What is the meaning of this? Women in an active warzone?" He voiced out as Levy stepped forward along with the others. She answered in German, knowing that it was the quickest way.

"We decided to help. Your men were about to be over-run and we lent assista—" she paused as the familiar corporal ran up, a small cut on his forehead as he came to a stop near the Colonel. Crouching down in the dirty slush as the snow lightened, he didn't bother with a salute. Granted, they were pretty far from the Russian side, but he didn't want to risk it despite their defeat this day.

"Sir…this should explain it" Mueller said simply while handing the orders to the commanding officer. Reading quickly, a bit of surprised curiosity graced his dirty face as three weeks of brownish beard covered his chin.

"_A scientist? With knowledge of advanced weapons and communications? What kind of scientist fights with weapons like…" _He studied the four, taking in their stances and battered armor along with deadly rifles.

"Get them on a train immediately and away from the front, Corporal. Do not risk your mission again" The colonel ordered with a drip of ice in his voice. Looking back at the four, he gave a light nod.

"I'm not sure about…women fighting. I believe they should be at home raising children. But…I saw some of what you did…Brave" he finished with a respectable nod as wounded were starting to be attended to. Sporadic gunfire still pierced the air to the north and south…but far less than before as the four females clomped through the dirty slush.

"Yeah…no problem" Levy mentioned with a light wave of the hand as she started to walk with her three friends toward Mueller as he sighed in relief. Turning, they headed off the bridge as dozens of men that witnessed the whole thing whispered about four females that held back the Russian army at Warsaw.

**Three hours later… November 28****th**** 9:37 P.M. The 7:15 train to Berlin.**

The train they had been waiting for had been two hours late due to conflicting schedules as the five stood and sat at the station for over two hours in the swirling cold. Very few civilians had been present, only a small gathering of soldiers being reassigned or taking a day or two of leave. But with the recent Russian attack, many had been cancelled by higher command. When it finally pulled into the station that evening with a squeal of brakes against the rails, Mueller had led them to a private cabin at the back of the troop train.

The room was sparsely decorated, but clean as the seats of soft material beckoned. Corporal Mueller said something to Levy in German before leaving, his hand closing the door with a soft click.

Mira collapsed on the red, cushioned seat in the private cabin with a sigh of relief as waves of fatigue coursed through her body. She had relieved herself of her armor, setting it against the wall as sore muscles just screamed for rest. The other three women did the same, shedding weapons and the Gear armor as each of them bore the grime and dirt of battles fought.

They could all use a hot bath and shower just to wash the dried blood out of their hair.

"God…I'm exhausted…" Kagura wailed slightly as she leaned her head against the corner near the window. Specks of dried blood still decorated her temple, but the woman didn't bother. She was already filthy and besides…they didn't have access to a shower on the train anyway.

"Same here. Just figures we would land in an active warzone" Erza complained as she started to clean and maintain her lancer. She was mind numbingly tired…but her mind was still coming up with possibilities of what had transpired in that…vortex between realities. Mira must have been thinking along the same lines as she took a gulp of water from her canteen, washing away the dry throat before looking at Levy.

"So…what's the plan? Help the German's fight this whole damn war? Because we finally saw the date and this thing has barely started. I don't want to be here for three more years, Levy"

The shorter girl was quiet, her breasts giving a slight jiggle as the train started to move and rumble down the tracks toward the German capitol. But it would take hours…most likely all night as more snow flew past in the darkness outside.

"Our first task should be gaining their trust to help them build weapons to win this conflict. We all know what will happen if they lose. So, if we can set up in a laboratory or some sort of secure factory, that will be a big help"

"Then what? We just build them tanks and other things?" Kagura asked from Levy's left near the wall.

"Well…yes. But that will be easy. Once we get prototypes built for them and blueprints, they can start production easily. But while we do that, I'll start researching on what happened in the vortex and why our bodies were glowing. And if possible, I'll try to build a new portal gun to get us home. At the very least, find out what universe this is. But dammit, you three need to start learning German. If I'm not around, I can't translate so start learning" the shorter woman finished as Erza groaned.

"Great…learning a new language. Can't you just make some of those translator nanobots you made on your adventure with Sanchez all those months ago?"

"Uhh…look around Erza. This world doesn't even have the concept of computers yet. How would I build something that advanced right now. I would need to build the technology to build the technology…which could take forever. Sorry. Until we get home, you'll just have to study when you can"

"Damn…ugh…this sucks" the redhead complained once more before laying her head on Mira's lap a minute later. Closing her eyes, the knight was out like a light as Mira glanced down at her passed out friend. Resting a light hand on her friend's shoulder, Mirajane leaned her head back in the corner as fatigue slowly took hold.

Kagura eyed her two friends falling asleep in mere moments…and couldn't blame them. Combat was exhausting and terrifying. Looking to Levy as the seat rustled, the shorter girl had made herself comfortable as the sandman claimed another victim. Letting out a sigh as her mind flashed with the horrors of the day, Kagura closed her eyes as the train continued to rumble down the ribbon of steel in the snowy night.

**The Empire of Mexico. Mexico City. November 29th 6:00 a.m.**

The Presidential Palace of the Mexican empire was being awash in the rising sun of the winter morning as the city started to wake. But winter was meaningless in this part of the world as factories blew steam whistles, signaling the start of another day for many of the urban workers. This however, was a mild distraction as a man in the highest office of the presidency turned away from his capital to the large map on the wall. It displayed Mexico and all her glorious territory. The recently annexed Guatemala that had fallen to the might of his military forces along with several dozen islands that inhabited the Straights of Belize. He had seized them from the island nation of El Salvador who simply could not stand up to United Mexican Navy and her modern battleships.

It was only the threat of a war with the larger central American island to the southeast that stayed his hand. Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica had all signed an alliance with Belize, creating the United Central Islands Alliance to counterbalance his endeavors.

Rich in wealth and prosperity due to trade with the United States and other powerful nations including Japan, The Korean Dynasty, and several European countries, those four countries saw a transformation. Exports of valuable metals, newly discovered oil fields and coal, along with a rapidly growing consumer market which included heavy tourism had been a boon of financial growth. Over the last fifty years those four countries had gone from third rate powers to countries with strong and effective militaries along with growing education and infrastructure. Suffice to say, waging war with them would be costly…and mostly pointless. He had gained what he wanted with those new possessions in the watery straights of Belize to the south.

Shrugging his shoulders, his eyes darkened as he took in the map of the southern United States past the Rio Grande. Texas…New Mexico…Arizona and the three states that comprised California. San Diego, California and Northern Sacramento identified the three. All of that territory…used to belong to Mexico. And it will be again.

Victoriano Huerta nodded to himself as he strode back to his large desk made of heavy teak wood. Made right here in the city, it was an example of exquisite craftmanship that his loyal ministers had bestowed upon him for ten years of rule. Before he took power…Mexico had been a joke. But his will and dedication had transformed this country into something greater over the past decade. And now…now it was time to claim their place among world powers.

For a moment he hesitated, knowing that their quasi ally of France would be…displeased with his campaign against one of their closest trading partners. But he squashed the stray thought. They couldn't do anything anyway except yell and scream from Paris as they fought the German's on their border. And even if they did do something, it would be paltry and miniscule. Frankly, he had to think of Mexico's future…not the feelings of his almost ally.

Picking up the phone that was another product of Hispanic engineering and manufacturing, the life time ruler of the Mexican Empire was quickly connected to his military commanders.

"Case Fourteen"

Hanging up, Victoriano leaned back in his chair as a light breeze of warmth drifted through an open window as white curtains fluttered. Within minutes, seven hundred thousand soldiers with their supporting artillery and cavalry would move across the Rio Grande while his Navy would begin the bombardment of targets in Texas and California.

The invasion of the United States had begun.

**And chapter is done! Hope you all enjoy the ladies stopping the Russians at Warsaw! And if you care, I made several of the Central American countries more powerful and wealthy while the actual land is several island nations and passages to the Pacific. So basically no Panama canal since there was no need to build one. I just thought it would be fun to make the geography different. Anyway, hope you all enjoy and leave some kind words! I'll be going back to No Hope next…probably. **

**Mira: Ugh…gotta learn German now…that's just great!**

**Levy: I offered to install translator Nanobots in you months ago**

**Erza: WHO WANTS TO BE STABBED IN THE NECK WITH TINY ROBOTS!**

**Kagura: Just…make some when you can…**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	3. The Tools for Victory

**So here is the next chapter of Shifting! And while I know many of you probably expect chapters upon chapters for this universe of WW1, I do want the girls to move on soon. With that said, I'm probably going to try and wrap it up in this one because if I don't, this will last like ten chapters otherwise haha. Maybe you'll hate me for it…but that's okay since I still have a bunch of universe's planned. So without further ado…READ AND REVIEW!**

**Chapter 3: The Tools for Victory**

* * *

**November 29****th**** 8:00 a.m. Berlin Central time. Oberste Heeresleitung (Supreme Army Command)**

Four Squads…Four whole squads of German soldiers were escorting Corporal Mueller and these four women down the polished halls as their boots clicked and thudded. They hadn't even gotten time to eat breakfast before their escort swooped down on them at the train station. Apparently, the general in charge of the defense of Warsaw had wired ahead and informed high command of the deeds these four had achieved in giving the Russian's a bloody nose at the bridge. Of course, the general had probably mentioned the advanced weapons and armor which explained the heavy guard…or the fact that the four women would not relinquish their rifles.

It was highly unorthodox to be meeting the upper echelons of their military like this, but if they tried anything, it would be their last mistake.

Turning a corner past some offices that saw to the endless stream of paperwork of a war, the heavy footfalls soon came to a stop before two wooden doors as the officer in charge turned to…the blue haired one.

"Just to remind you four…If you raise your weapons at any of them, Myself and my men will end you. While I can't expect to understand the capabilities of your armor and…chainsaw rifles, I'm very sure your heads aren't protected from gunfire. Behave yourself" The thirty year old captain warned as Levy shrugged.

"Fair enough"

Nodding at her words, the officer pushed the doors open as the squads moved in to secure the room…from the four females. Waving them on, his honed senses as a soldier still scowled at the fact none of them had cleaned up at all. They were all still extremely filthy…covered with speckles of gore, blood, and mud. He sighed at the sight…but could understand the expediency as his eyes slightly widened at the figure seated at the head of the table in the room.

He could understand general staff officers…but not the Kaiser himself as he and his men stood along the walls near the door, backs ramrod straight as the leader of Germany slowly took in the sight. He studied in all their features…the spattered dirt and blood…the fresh scar on the white haired one…even the strange armor with blue lights running down the torsos.

"_My goodness…what an unusual sight. Blue and white hair? Heavy plate armor that resembles the history of ancient knights. And the red haired one…she looks like a true soldier. And such a heavy escort? Are they truly that dangerous?"_

Wilhelm left the question unanswered for now as he gave a nod to his chief of staff, Helmuth Von Moltke.

"Corporal Mueller. Give us your full report on these four. Any and all detail no matter how trivial is not to be left out" Moltke ordered as the man in question saluted with a quick gulp of his throat. Puffing out his chest at the sight of the high brass in the room, Mueller silently prayed that he wouldn't fumble this whole thing.

"Yes general!" His voice echoed as the corporal began to relay the entirety of events up to this point. He left out no detail, relaying everything he could recall over the next hour before finally finishing with a gasp.

Nodding his head, Moltke slowly stroked the mustache on his face before returning his attention to the Corporal. "Your story does match up with several other witnesses that saw these four in action in Warsaw. Report to the closest reassignment center in two days. Your dismissed"

Crisply saluting, the man made a beeline to the door as the four females stood there in silence for a moment. The door shut with a heavy thud, leaving the generals, Kaiser, and the guards in place as the leader of Germany slowly steepled his fingers.

"So…one of you is a scientist? Pardon me, but it is still hard to fathom women reaching such a high stature of education. Especially one with…blue hair. Not to mention that no nation on this planet issues such equipment for their soldiers, let along females. So…where did you come from? Are you English agents? A group of Russian spies?"

The shortest one stepped forward, the electrical lamps hitting the scar just right as her eyes cast a net over the men there…and some grew uneasy before she started to speak in educated German.

"I'll level with you all. The four of us are from…a different Earth. A different version of humanity that went along a different path of development. A world that contains magic"

"Magic? Preposterous! And this nonsense of…another Earth! A story of fantasy" A heavier, older general barked out as Levy gave a small scowl before turning back to the Kaiser and Moltke. She recognized them as the heavy hitters as she ignored the condescending laughter coming from many men.

"Let her speak" The Kaiser said evenly as he glared at the heavyset man. Extending a hand, he showed his regal upbringing toward the woman. "Please. Continue and convince us of your story"

"I developed a technology to traverse between alternate timelines several years ago. Unfortunately, our worlds foray into the multiverse—"

"The what?" Maltke asked as the woman paused her words.

"The multiverse…think of it as an infinite expanse of worlds. An infinite number of Germany's…or endless versions of yourself, but each a little different. For example, there is a version of Earth where Germany and America are allies while fighting your enemies. Or of one where the British Isles are nothing but warring tribes…Or maybe one where an ancient empire never fell. The possibilities are literally endless"

"I see…and you claim to be from a world of…magic? Can you prove it?" another officer asked as Levy shook her head.

"No unfortunately. Your Earth has different properties than mine"

"How convenient" The chubby man said again with a few beads of sweat dripping along his brow. His pudgy skin glistened with sweat, and Levy suspected he stank.

"Not really. If I had access to my magic, I'd be able to slay hundreds of men in seconds. Mira back there can level a small city at full power along with Erza" Levy pointed before stepping forward as she dug underneath her armor with a slender hand.

The guards shifted, clenching their rifles as the woman paused.

"It's a picture. I would like to show the Kaiser" she explained while slowly pulling the image out. Waving her forward, the prince took the image as his eyes quickly scanned. It's detail was…unparalleled. No newspaper or photographer the world over could create this level of color…but the contents. A horrific picture of a gray…humanoid creature with one of those rifles was battling a pink haired man in similar armor among a street of broken bodies. Orange flames licked at structures in the background as something that resembled a large…spider crushed a strange looking vehicle.

"What is this? What are these horrific creatures?"

"That…is part of the locust horde fighting the king of our country. They come from another dimension and have slaughtered billions of people in their genocidal war against humanity. Those monsters have no compassion toward the innocent and revel in the act of butchery" She paused as the Kaiser passed the image to Moltke.

"Then how did you end up here if you face such…creatures?"

"_What a horrendous sight…"_

"There was an accident at the gate to link our world with our Seran allies. We were to help them fend off the lambent parasite…but something went wrong and we ended up in your conflict. But now I think I might be able to build a device to send us home. All I would need are the materials"

"Why should we just give you valuable resources when Germany is fighting multiple enemies?" another officer asked as Levy smirked.

"Because. I can build you advanced weapons that will let you break this stalemate of a war and ensure your victory. Body armor like my friends use, automatic rifles, tanks, grenades, more powerful engines and medicines for your troops. I'll give it to you all if you give me a lab space. It can be in an artillery factory for all I care" she finished before Erza spoke up, her English words lost among many.

"Levy? Did you ask them about me leading troops in battle?"

"Seriously Erza? You want me to ask them that now?" Levy barked back as Moltke replied in perfect English.

"Tell your friend you four are far too valuable to the survival of Germany if your to be believed. However…the discussion could be opened in the future if you deliver on your promise. I don't even care if you come from the moon. Now explain what a…tank is"

"How about I just draw one?" Levy asked the chief of staff as she leaned over and grabbed a sheaf of paper and pencil. Her hands were still grimy with dried mud under the nails…but Moltke was curious. Watching with the Kaiser as she quickly drew, the woman presented the image to him minutes later.

"Here. Think of it as armored Cavalry and a mobile artillery piece in one"

His eyes widened at the strange machine. A long barrel poked out of a turret that rested on a chassis with wheels encased in treads. The armor looked sloped…and so right. _"This could crush the French and British! None of our enemies could resist these…tanks"_

"Can you make this?" The Kaiser asked hopefully as the blunette smiled and tapped her head.

"Blueprints right here. But it would go much faster with a large work crew of machinists and armorers…"

"And the other weapons? The body armor?" another officer asked as he studied the vehicle with extreme interest. Losses among the infantry divisions were already high, measuring in the tens of thousands after just a few months of conflict. Their body language told the four women most of them were already convinced. Who cares if they hailed from a universe of monsters and magic…or if they were crazy. They had been handed a golden goose and it would be stupid to waste it.

"Give me a lab and anything I need and you'll be able to win this war" She smirked while crossing her arms over her bloody armor.

"Moltke. See too it immediately. Also…" The Kaiser was about to speak before the doors burst open, a youthful lieutenant pale in the face as he saluted with a newspaper clutched between fingers.

"Pardon my intrusion generals! This…THE EMPIRE OF MEXICO INVADED THE UNITED STATES!"

The generals burst to their feet, the news like a cannon ball to their meeting as one officer hurried forward and practically ripped the parchment away from the sandy haired lieutenant.

"BRING ME THAT PAPER!" The Kaiser roared out as it was quickly pressed into his hands. Reading the headline, he wouldn't be surprised if his enemies weren't reading the same thing.

**MEXICO INVADES THE UNITED STATES!**

**PRESIDENT WILSON PROMISES RETALIATION AGAINST FRANCE!**

**In a surprisingly and dastardly invasion along the Rio Grande, Imperial soldiers of Mexico launched a devastating first blow against the Americans. Heavy fighting is being reported north of San Antonio as the yanks…**

His eyes reread the entire story in minutes as a grin slowly formed on his lips.

"Gentlemen…this could be a turning point in German history. If things worsen, we could see the Americans and French declaring war over this. At the very least, their trade of food and supplies to our enemies will slow if not halt completely" Pointing toward another general, the kaiser's voice was laced with authority.

"Get our ambassador in Washington to meet with President Wilson. Tell them we offer our support in their righteous cause. Even if we can't do anything, that should at least tell them we have no interest in starting a conflict with them"

Turning back to the short, blue haired woman, he took a deep breath. "Well? What are you waiting for? Go with Moltke and get to work. Anything you need just let him know" The prince said with finality as the room grew into a higher pitch of how to use this new conflict to their advantage.

Shrugging her shoulders, Levy followed her friends as Moltke and the four squads of guards quickly left the cavernous room.

**12:15 p.m. The Duetsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken Weapons plant.**

It was a sprawling complex as light snow began to fall on the city. The sounds of industry echoed from inside as the four women stood with Moltke and a squad of soldiers. Yes, they were in plain sight of civilians moving about their business, but the armed soldiers of Germany kept them from asking questions. Most would assume they were specialists of some kind and would be correct in a way.

Kagura looked at the outer perimeter of the weapons plant, eyeing the ten foot high wall lining the property as a large gate would give them entrance.

"Impressive" the black haired woman admired as Moltke chuckled.

"Thank you. This is one of the largest weapons plants in Germany. Please, follow me" Boots crunching over fresh snow as the shrill whistle of a train wafted through the air. Following the General past the gate, they turned right along a brick pathway as he led the four women to a larger structure. Waving them inside after a few minutes in the cold, the four were presented with a cavernous factory floor as workers and machinists tooled their craft.

The sounds of men shouting and talking over their sections were almost lost over the beat of machinery as a pleasant heat covered the group. Leading them onward, the General and his troops were idly noticed by the work force, but were mostly ignored. This was hardly the first time officers of the army toured the facility…although the site of four women were strange in the eyes of many.

Boots clicked across the floor, their walk swift as the large group made it to the far side of the factory. Opening another entrance, the girls found themselves outside again as a rail line pierced the center of the complex. Open bay doors lined their side and the second complex across the rail as a temporary footbridge of dirty planks spanned across the iron tracks. Workers were waiting by the open bays, the stacks of crates piled high for shipping to other destinations as their cold breath wafted in an out.

"My apologies. The walkway linking both buildings was damaged by a small fire. It should be repaired within the week" Moltke stated as he pointed to the covered walkway at his left with a careless wave. It rose to the second level, high enough to avoid any trains as stained glass covered in soot and grime stared out at the day.

"It's fine. I'm just glad you gave us an opportunity to clean ourselves up after the meeting" Erza said with a simple smile as she walked across the boards to the twin complex across the loading yard. Moltke nodded briskly as a distant train rumbled down the tracks toward them.

Mira let out a low whistle as they found themselves in the newest building. It was inhabited by men working, their rough language lost on her as they toiled to set up the machinery for industry. Machine lathes and power tools…heavy hoists and assembly areas…even a manager's office of clean glass was to their left as the four took in the site around them.

"This is a new expansion for artillery. In another three days it will be set up for work" The general informed the four as Levy gave a grin to the officer, her scar pulling at her cheek.

"It's perfect. Will those men be working here as well?" she asked with a pointed finger.

"Yes. They are machinists after all"

"Good" She answered before striding forward with sure steps. Stopping near a large group of men, they halted their work as they studied the shorter woman.

"Are you lost, woman?" One asked as he looked down at her, his burly muscles almost jumping out of his shirt as the blunette chuckled.

"No. I'm just letting you all know I'll be in charge of what we're building here" Levy replied in German as many of the men glanced at her…then each other….then started laughing with boisterous laughter.

"Hahaha! Why not go back to your kitchen? Or better yet, why not work on your back and make some children for Germany?" The defacto leader teased with superiority.

"I see…HEY MIRA!? HE SAYS WE SHOULD WORK ON OUR BACKS INSTEAD!" Levy shouted to her friend as Moltke looked worried.

"_Will she kill them? That's the biggest hurdle here…no woman works in the weapons industry. They are housewives, teachers, or nurses. But…these four have already broken that rule at Warsaw…"_

"IS THAT RIGHT!? I SAY HE NEEDS TO LEARN RESPECT!" the white haired woman shouted back as she glanced to the general. "Don't disturb her. We've dealt with men like this before" Mira warned as the males continued to laugh at Levy and the other women.

"I bet I can give you a job…right on your knees" the large man scoffed as he approached her. He didn't even care she was decked in armor or carried a large weapon on her back. She was female and weaker than men. _"Hell…she probably just wears it to look tough"_

Levy reeled back a fist and punched the behemoth straight in the balls as hard as she could. Her muscles were tense as the man doubled over, a loud grunt and gasp mixed in with pain.

"GAh! You…you bitch!" the male groaned out with snarled teeth as Levy wound up another punch. A blow to the side of his head made his world spin as the tiny female walked behind him. A slender arm wrapped around his throat, clasping tight as he pawed and tried for fresh air.

"GUNTHER! LET HIM GO!" One of the men yelled as the Erza, Mira, and Kagura ran up, their weapons pointed at the workers. They paused…holding in their tracks as the general raised a placating hand to his own guards.

"Easy men…only take an action if they actually fire…this is a test for them" Still…he felt a small amount of pity for the large man being punched in the family jewels. Cringing at the image, Moltke returned his attention to the short one as she started to speak at her victim.

"Your right about something. I am a bitch. I'm a bitch that has killed countless men in war…I've stabbed and shot…burned and chopped my enemies to pieces. I've sacrificed towns to the enemy and watched children die…Myself and my three friends are not to be fucked with. Now…will you work with us?"

"F…fuck you…"

Levy scowled as she squeezed tighter. Gunther's struggles of pawing hands slowed…then stopped as his air supply dwindled. Passing out after a few more seconds, Levy let his body drop to the concrete like a sack of manure before turning to the other men with a glare of dark eyes.

"Our goals are the same…victory for Germany. I don't care if you hate us…talk behind my back about our bodies or imagine screwing us all day. However…" she paused before kicking Gunther in the side for emphasis. "You will show respect and follow my orders. If you can't handle working under a woman, leave now…or be part of something that will ensure German victory"

The workers stood motionless for a moment, taking in the sight of the short blunette in a new light before studying the other females.

"Gunther was an asshole anyway. As long as I have a good job and steady pay for my wife and son, I don't care who's in charge" A man spoke up as others nodded in agreement.

"Good!" Levy smiled like a schoolgirl before walking back to Moltke. "Get that shitbag outta here. His stench of stupidity is awful" She waved before grabbing a pencil and notepad from a nearby desk. Starting to write as some of the guards dragged the muscle head away, she silently talked to herself as Erza and Kagura did the same with their own notes. We'll obviously need some armorers and men that know engines…. The railway is perfect for incoming raw materials…Rivet guns… she continued to talk to herself for a few minutes before handing several sheafs of paper to the waiting general.

"This is everything I'll need to start up on the first tank. Also, I'll need to set up an office in there…cots to sleep on for myself and my friends somewhere in this building. And guards located around this facility. Only those working here or with expressed permission from yourself or the Kaiser should be allowed inside" She finished as Erza walked up with her own list of everything needed to start making Gear armor and rifles.

Looking down at the list, Moltke was lightly stunned as the amount of materials…but also impressed by their efficiency.

"Ill get it moving right away. These guards will fetch you some cots and desks. Anything else you need just tell them and they'll report to me"

"Just don't forget your end of the deal" Levy finished as she extended a hand. Feeling the tight grasp, the officer gave a firm shake before barking out orders to the guards. Watching them leave with a hurried step, Levy and the others turned to the waiting workers as they stepped forward.

"Alright! We have to get this place up and running in a few days! Let's get to work!"

**Washington D.C. November 30****th**** 9:15 a.m. The White House**

The waiting room outside the Oval office was tense and silent as the two ambassadors waited in silence from opposite sides of the furnished room. It had obviously been a scheduling error on somebody's part…but neither man wished to reschedule now. Especially with the new war raging along the southern border of America.

Johann Bernstorff was a balding man with a waxed mustache adorning his features while wearing a tailored suit befitting his status as German ambassador to the United States. Clasping his hands while securing his briefcase, he glanced at the British ambassador across from him…Sir Cecil Spring.

Coughing lightly, Johann eyed the man across from him as he lit a cigarette. The acrid smoke filled the room as Cecil took another drag.

"I say chap…quite an awkward situation for the two of us?"

"Indeed…I'm sure it was an error in time management. But I'm sure the two of us can act like gentlemen despite all of this"

"My thoughts exactly! Of course, no prying for secrets" the Englishman smirked lightly as the door swung open. Two General's strode out, their faces grim as one of them cocked a thumb toward the President's office.

"He'll see you both now. Just keep it short"

Mumbling their thanks and quelling issues of annoyance, the British and German ambassadors soon found themselves seated before the oaken desk of Woodrow Wilson. He was standing with his back to them, his shoulders straight as he looked out the window to the snow draped lawn of the White House.

"Gentlemen. My country got sucker punched. As we speak, thousands of American's have been killed or wounded in this new war I, nor the American people wanted. It was a complete intelligence failure…and heads will roll for it" The soft spoken leader informed them as he turned to look at them.

"Already the people are blaming the French for the sneak attack of their ally and baying for war against them. There is even talk of declaring war on Great Britain who is the leader of the allied nations against Germany and the central powers"

"Mr. President my good sir. The government in London asked me to extend their utmost sincerity that England and her colonies have no desire for conflict with the United States. Yes…our county has fought three wars in the past, the most recent in eighteen sixty seven over the territorial claims of several Caribbean Islands, but things have drastically changed since then. We share a common ancestry of history while our trade treaties bring much wealth to both our great nations. We have no desire to risk the beneficial peace we have"

Woodrow sat down at his desk, his fingers steepled after hearing the clipped tone of the Englishman.

"That is a relief to hear" The president sighed as he turned his gaze to the German, waiting for a response as well. Johann cleared his throat, holding his head high as he prepared to relay Berlin's desires.

"The Kaiser wished to extend his full support for your righteous war against unlawful invasion. A cowardly surprise attack that will no doubt be condemned in the coming days by my own government. After all, many of your midwestern states such as Wisconsin, Illinois and others hold large populations of German immigrants. Unfortunately, Germany can't offer more than that I'm afraid"

Woodrow nodded, knowing that relations with Imperial Germany were still…uneasy with their war against England and France…but he had a hunch that could change in the coming weeks and months.

"This global conflict has just become more complicated gentlemen, but the myself and the Americ—" The president was interrupted by rapid knocking…almost frantic.

"Mr. President! Mr. President!" A muffled voice shouted while the banging continued unabated.

"Enter!"

A young staff officer rushed in, holding up a report as the blood was drained from his face. "Mr. President! You need to read this!" The officer practically yelled as he pushed the report into Woodrow's hands. Taking the report, his eyes continued to read…and read as his face paled. His face contorted in horror and disbelief as the paper left his numb fingers.

"A…A coast guard cutter managed to land a shore party at Corpus Christi in Texas after the Mexican Army moved on... A prewar population close to twenty thousand….they sacked it. Burned it to ash. The entire civilian population slaughtered…and the troops reported that women as young as twelve were…defiled before being executed. It's…I'm sorry gentlemen, but I need to address the nation about this…butchery"

"How barbaric! To think a civilized…no…they are not civilized for committing such an atrocity against non-combatant's!" Cecil exclaimed in a shocked tone as Johann moved to his feet.

"The Kaiser will hear about this…desolation of the American people, you can count on that mister President" The balding man stated evenly with a curl to his stomach. _"I was a soldier in my younger years and things can happen on the battlefield. But against innocent girls and civilians…the Mexican Empire has no honor…barbaric"_

Stepping out of the Oval Office with Sir Cecil Spring after Woodrow…kicked them out, the German eyed his counterpart as an idea came to mind. It might not bear fruit…or could lead to an easier war for his countrymen.

"I don't know how your lords in London will take this…but it seems to me your allies are acting like a mob of thugs. If the English truly possess a code of honor on the battlefield, then how can they let this attack on innocent civilians go unpunished? Perhaps a change in your war standing should be discussed? After all, why should English troops die for a country that has been traditionally their enemy for centuries for no gain? Something to think about" Johann told the other man as he briskly walked away down the corridor, leaving the Englishman to ponder his words.

"Perhaps your right, chap…perhaps your right…"

**February 16****th**** The D.W.M weapons plant, Berlin**

The previous two and a half months had seen the European theater of the German war grind to a halt as a brutal winter fell across the continent. Armies froze in their spots, unable to make even a dozen yards among drifts taller than horses and the emplacement of machine guns and artillery that would rake the battlefield.

Losses among men of all nations were a steady drum every day, but was just recognized as the small change of a war of stalemate.

The news of the atrocity that befell Corpus Christi brought a heavy condemnation from England, Brazil, Belize, Japan Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. The dictator of Mexico ignored it, continuing his conquest of the American southwest. This spurned Germany and the Central powers to declare war on Mexico three days later much to the glee of the American people.

Not to be outdone, France went all in with their central American ally and declared war on the United States and commenced to start raiding their shipping across the Atlantic. Within days, small naval exchanges along the coast of the United States broke out as both powers duked it out. Finding themselves on a two front war with already close to thirty to fifty thousand dead or wounded in the first two weeks, Woodrow Wilson eliminated the segregation of all military branches. They could no be picky…they needed men to fight no matter their ancestry.

But England…England didn't know what to do. They tried to be the voice of reason with their French allies, but the damn French would not listen. Halting any military campaigns in the Mediterranean with their navy, a sense of a 'false war' settled on the western front against Germany. Yes, casualties still occurred daily from artillery and gunfire, but any attempts for major engagements seemed to cease as many in the empire started to question the continuation of this bloody conflict that has seen more than five million dead across Europe.

Of course…the rumors of four women turning back the Russians at Warsaw became a raging myth among the German enlisted. Some said they were amazon warriors from the heavens…others thought they were a top secret government spy ring. However…none knew of the technical marvels they would unleash in the coming spring.

Even now as a winter storm raged over Berlin, the first hospitals were receiving the wondrous antibiotic known as Penicillin from chemist labs to help wounded soldiers fight off infection.

General Moltke walked onto the property with the promising officer at his heels as the bitter wind bit at their faces. It was like flying needles as the guards at the entrance checked their military identification. A security implemented by those four insane women he's dealt with for the winter, the entirety of the complex was under surveillance. Barb wire along the walls…constant foot patrols that changed everyday to discourage spies or saboteurs…even machine guns at choke points on the industrial complex.

Shivering at the sudden gust of sharp wind, both men walked past the armed guards who quickly closed the gate and huddled back in their heated huts. Taking a right along the familiar path, he glanced at the younger officer as their boots crunched snow.

"Curious, Major Guderian?"

"Indeed. I've only heard whispers and rumors of 'Case Amazon' Is it true that women are in charge of the project?"

"More like a pain in my ass. Almost every week I'm finding new military personnel after the previous failed their expectations" He paused, opening the door into the factory building as warmth washed over them both. Reeling in the heat, both men felt alive again as they started toward the factory across the rail lines. This time the enclosed foot bridge was repaired, leaving them warm and dry as they marched forward toward their destination.

"Is it really that bad? When I was selected for this project I was un—"

"You're the thirteenth officer to be selected for this. The first made the impression that Mirajane was a simple office girl and grabbed her ass. He wound up with a broken jaw, two broken ribs and a ruined career" Moltke informed his charge as they came to one final hallway that would lead directly to the open floor. Pausing, he glanced at the young officer.

"A word of advice when dealing with these four women. The first, they are very beautiful…and ferocious warriors that if are to be believed…come from a world of genocidal war and carnage. Do not take their gender lightly. The second thing is the shortest one is the smartest…smarter than twenty of our top scientists put together. I'm sure you heard of the new medicines and healing techniques in our field hospitals? Or the new radios that are making an appearance within our armies?"

"I've heard. I even saw one that could be carried on a man's back. A way to link combat commanders with the rear…that was them?"

"Yes. They are still rare, but those mobile radios are being built in Magburg and Munich as we speak for our troops…a true marvel considering the technology in November. Now…the last thing. Show them respect and competency in your job and they will do the same. Oh…and never under any circumstances insult a man named Natsu Dragneel. The fifth officer did that…called their king a 'Candy boy' for having pink hair. They shaved his head and now he digs latrines. These women have the ear of the Kaiser for what they are working on…remember that"

Guderian gulped…but nodded his head. _"Women that can destroy an officer's career in minutes? I will be profess-"_

"GET OUT!"

"What did…yoush say you…bitsch!" A slurred voice in German echoed from around the corner. A heavy impact…the sounds of scuffling and then a cry of pain as a man collided into the wall before both officers. He groaned…spittle dripping down his chin as his drunken eyes looked up to the woman that appeared.

"_She's beautiful…"_ Heinz told himself as the female enclosed in workers coveralls and a black shirt glared down at the man. Speaking in heavily accented German, her face was a contortion of anger.

"We have simple rules here. Show up on time. Do your job with competency and pride. Take your three breaks and rest while you can so you're productive…AND DON'T SHOW UP DRUNK!" She yelled out before kicking him in the side. The worker gasped in pain, clutching the fresh blow as she turned toward the men.

"Ah. General Moltke. This man decided he quit. Please find a replacement for his absence" She said firmly before turning and striding away onto the main floor.

"Come on. Time to show you what you'll be doing. And that was Kagura by the way" Moltke said with a wave as he stepped over the fallen man. He would deal with it later as he and Guderian walked onto the main floor…and the younger man gasped in awe.

Dozens of men were working in groups all over the cavernous room. To his right, the sounds of grinding and hammering filled the air as a beautiful redhead lead a group of eight men in their task. She was working on what appeared to be a chest plate, the final product nearing completion as she inspected it. Walking over, Guderian's interest was piqued as the woman finally noticed the two men.

"Erza Scarlet. How is production of the new armors?"

"Excellent. In another month, we will have enough to equip a full division" she replied as Heinz studied the armor. It was a large chest piece while other pieces for the arms and legs lay nearby. Rapping his knuckles against it, the very busty woman turned to him.

"It's light steel, then a layer of tightly woven cloth…then another layer of light steel. The joints are padded for comfort and is rated to stop standard rifle and pistol rounds. The armor can withstand a burst of machine gun fire, but not for long"

"Fascinating…this could save hundreds or thousands of lives on the battlefield"

"That's the point of it. Granted, I am limited by the technology here so no magnetized plates on the back for weapons, but I'm sure future engineers can figure it out. Now if you'll excuse me…" the redhead stated as she moved to another table to assist a worker.

Following Motlke, the major found himself at another section of the cavernous building as Kagura and a white haired woman loaded several rifles and other firearms into crates for shipping in the future. Men worked at several machines nearby, the sounds of lathes and metal work being done as their joking laughter mixed in with the sounds of industry.

"Mirajane. How's work progressing?"

"Aside from that drunk, good. The lancer rifles will be excellent for shock troops against your enemies. As you know, we did forgo the chainsaw and left a simple blade bayonet as the melee attachment. Thirty round magazines will be excellent tools for clearing trenches"

"And this weapon?" Guderian asked as he studied a longer tool of war on a table. A large box was attached to the underside as a burly man picked up a second and packed it for transport.

"A light machine gun just like Levy's. Hundred round magazine and light enough to be carried by one man for heavier firepower" Kagura instructed the new officer as she went back to work with Mira.

"That will surely be effective among the trenches…"

"The Kaiser thinks so too…but come on, you haven't seen the best thing yet" Moltke smiled as he led them to the farthest corner of the building.

Guderian reeled at what he saw…literally taking a step backward as the dozen of…he didn't know what they were. Slopped armor plating of heavy steel sat on top of treaded wheels and tracks. A large turret with a cannon poking out made it look like some sort of…land battleship. Hearing cursing to his left, he saw a short woman in blue coveralls and a four inch scar working on a thirteenth vehicle with a group of men as three more groups worked on an additional three.

"No! The fuel injector goes here! Not there! Fix it and do it right, Hans!" the shorter woman scolded loudly before pinching her nose. "I'm sorry…I need a break…just fix it please" she lightly apologized before spotting the staff officer. Walking over with a sway of hips as work goggles covered her blue hair, she stopped at the sight of the new officer.

"Replacement huh? Hope you last longer than three days" she simply replied before the man spoke.

"W…what are these machines?"

"Tanks. Impervious to machine gun fire and heavier munitions. Are still vulnerable from the air and artillery strikes. Fires a 37mm shell from the turret and can hold four. Two of the ones being assembled will be flamer tanks. I could've built a much more lethal tank, but then production would slow and I'd only have two done. But, not like the Russian's or French will be able to counter with anything anyway. So General, what can I do for you today?" the shorter woman finally asked as he waved some fingers.

"Gather your friends and meet me in your work lab. I have something to tell you"

"Sure, give me a minute"

Watching her walk off, the major soon was marching toward another room set in the corner of the factory as his head reeled. _"These weapons…tanks…my god the possibilities!"_

Walking in as the grimy windows let in some light, he was taken aback again as blueprints for dozens of inventions and ideas cluttered desks. Half assembled apparatus covered workplaces while an unknown device rested near him on a table. It looked to have a strange screen and could cover a forearm or wrist…but he had no idea of its function. Ignoring it, he picked up a blueprint and studied the layout.

"General? What is a…microwave?"

"I haven't the faintest clue"

"It's something for civilian use. Can rapidly cook food. But your world isn't advanced enough to make the components yet…at least cheaply anyway. Still, feel free to take all this when we move on. Now, what is it you want to talk about?" Levy asked as she strode in, her breasts lightly heaving as she leaned against the wall with the other three.

"I'm curious myself" Erza asked in accented German as the other women nodded. Clearing his throat, Moltke took a few minutes.

"I've been keeping the Kaiser appraised of your progress and he is very pleased. So pleased, in fact that a second vehicle plant is being constructed in Dortmund. Using the technical blueprints you've provided, We're positive we can double or triple the output of tanks by this coming fall. The same with those body armors. A new facility is being constructed in Stuttgart for our troops"

"That's understandable. After all, you can't rely on four women and a single factory to provide tools for a whole war" Mirajane reasoned as her gaze locked onto both men. Her scar itched…but nothing new as Moltke nodded.

"Very true. But the main reason for this tiny meeting is to inform you of a new division being formed. The first Panzer Division. It will be comprised of veteran troops from all fronts…and employ your new weapons. The Major here will command a battalion and familiarize himself with these new vehicles. And while it is very…unorthodox, the first battle for this division will have each of you in command of a company. So congratulations, you will lead the very first of these Panzers into combat"

"About time. I was getting sick of hammering out armor" Kagura smirked as Heinz gave his own acceptance. He recognized the look and stance…the eyes in these women that betrayed awful things. They were veterans of battlefields he could not fathom.

"Also, how is your own progress on returning home?"

Letting out a horrendous groan, Levy approached the wrist device on the nearby table.

"Slow…damn slow. Everything I've needed to build this thing I had to build from scratch. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to build a tiny fusion core on a world that has barely discovered nuclear elements, let alone work on them? I'll tell you. It's a pain in the ass. I haven't even bothered trying to figure out that whole…void thing the four of us drifted in and that weird light we absorbed"

"Why not? I know you've been busy, but the work is slacking a bit now that the machinists and engineers are getting more experience with these new methods" Erza asked as she tried to wipe a bit of grease off her coveralls.

"The scientific equipment I would need to build just to scan ourselves is just…not worth it right now. If this version of Earth was in the computer age, sure. But the German government was already helpful in procuring the raw materials I needed to build just this…which I'm sure was not cheap or easy considering they've never heard of silicon for microchips…which I had to make in my spare time while you three were sleeping. I've literally been working sixteen to eighteen hours a day on this wrist mounted I.V.D. while getting everything to their war industries" The woman paused as she rubbed some tired eyes, the evident bags under her brown orbs rapidly apparent.

"My apologies…I had no idea you were working such long hours"

Waving it off, the blunette yawned as the outer window rattled in the frame from a heavy gust of wind.

"It's fine…I'm taking a half day later. Um…crap" She walked past Guderian, approaching the desk near him as she started to leaf through engineering plans. "Hey Moltke? I did give you the blueprints for the Mk two hand grenade right?"

"You did. Production is already starting. The first shipments should be reaching the front by the end of the month"

"Okay…good…Um…fuck here it is" She told herself as she pulled a roll from the pile. Handing it to the general, the scarred woman lightly explained.

"Interrupter Gear for your airplanes so your pilots don't shoot their damn propellers off. Would've been invented by this coming summer, but this should be reliable and easy to install" Walking back to the wrist mounted technology as the General preened with joy, Levy lightly picked it up as her exhausted eyes studied its metallic surface.

"So…your getting close to getting us home, right?" Mira asked hopefully as Levy nodded.

"Yeah. I just elected for a portable I.V.D. instead of a whole machine. I should have it all done by the time this division is up and ready" Setting it back down, she glanced at a clock on the wall and realized she was starving.

"Let's get some lunch. I could eat a camel and we can go over some things with the major here while we wait. Care to join us General before I kick off for the day?' the short woman asked.

"My apologies, but I'm due back at command. I'll be back on Friday to check on your progress and how Major Guderian is faring among you insane women"

Chuckling at his words, the four females started to leave the small office to fill their bellies, practically dragging the newest officer to fall into their clutches away as Moltke gave one final look around the laboratory.

"A shame such intellect is used for war…" he whispered to himself as the storm howled outside.

**May 1****st**** 1915\. 5:58 a.m. The Western Front. Twenty miles from Verdun.**

Guderian stood up out of the hatch of the turret as the first rays of dawn started to rise over the battered landscape. His panzer was idling, the powerful L.E.M engine sending a vibration through his feet as the trained crews waited for the signal. It was…a truly impressive piece of modern technology that would've taken years to normally develop. A rotating turret, sloped armor plating to deflect shells, and the diesel engine that was capable of driving fifteen miles per hour. It would be a crushing blow to Germany's foes.

Thirty of the new panzers were available for this battle as the First Panzer Division waited…and waited. Blinking as he glanced toward his left, the officer could see the armored war machine that would be commanded by miss Levy…no…Lieutenant McGarden as thousands of German troops equipped with the newest armor, helmets and rifles waited in the nearby trenches. But it was a small slice of the fifth army…a force comprising of twelve fully equipped divisions while another ten waited in reserve along with several artillery batteries.

They had arrived under the cover of darkness the evening before as artillery masked their approach. The panzers had been checked and rechecked. Full ammunition load outs. Spare fuel and parts…everything they could possible think of to make this a victory.

Guderian studied them all one final time…and he felt pride. The division was comprised of ninety percent veteran troops…men that had been tested on the field of battle…and their training had been intense and brutal. Not only the renewed physical fitness, but when the four women were pulled from factory work to begin training…their methods and tactics had been revolutionary for the experienced men. Clearing houses and storming trench lines while under the covering fire of comrades. The proper use of the new hand grenades. Supporting tactics with the panzers. They had been transformed into a crack division….and their pride showed. Many didn't even care there were four women in their ranks…or that they were just Lieutenants in charge of whole Infantry companies. In fact, the soldiers under the direct command of Erza Scarlet, Mirajane Strauss and Kagura Mikazuchi had adopted monikers in honor of their female leaders. The Crimson Knights…The Silver Crosses…and the Midnight Blades. And now…now they would be thrown into one of the toughest battles of the war….to capture the Meuse Heights and bring Verdun under heavy artillery fire. If they could capture those bluffs and the surrounding forts, the German army could bleed the French white.

Fresh artillery rumbled and flashed all along the front. Not just here at Verdun, but the entirety of the North Eastern line until the British positions. The weight of the German 5th army could be felt as the horizon flashed like lightning and thunder…and the minute hand turned to six.

He didn't shout an order…all the commanders and officers knew the time. The panzer rumbled forward with the others in a wide V, the tracks kicking up dirt as they moved past the point of the German lines. Barb wire was crushed, easily bypassed as artillery stopped toward their front.

He knew what the French troops would be doing now. The officers would be screaming…yelling at the men to man their positions for the inevitable surge of human bodies. Guderian grinned savagely, hoping that the French would enjoy the surprise.

A rifle bullet clanged off the turret, sparking as the first enemy troops fired among shouting and panicked yells.

Deciding he didn't want to get shot today, Guderian ducked down and clamped the turret shut as more gunfire impacted the tank as it sped across no man's land at a brisk twelve miles per hour…

Edgard Jacques was terrified as he aimed his rifle over the parapet at the German attacking force. The…he didn't know what they were. But they rumbled onward as infantry jogged and supported them from the rear across the rapidly warming sky. A nearby officer yelled out orders, but the dark haired Frenchman barely heard it as a machine gun started to chatter.

"Wh…what are they!" He shouted in terror as the heavy caliber bullets sparked and pinged off the sloped armor like increasing hail. He fired at a distant man, watching him pitch backward…then struggling to his feet seconds later as his blood ran cold. _"The German's…what have they made!" _Watching with fearful eyes as they continued to surge forward under heavy supporting rifle-fire, Edgard felt his balls trying to crawl up into his belly. The steel beast had slowed, the large gun slowly swiveling toward the machine gun position.

It spat flame, brightening the muddy field of barb wire and trenches as the two man crew was blown apart into mince meat. Cringing at the sight, Private Edgard worked the bolt as he fired at…a woman with flowing, black hair. A spat of gunfire split the air above his head, making him duck down in dread as the rapid rifle shattered everything he knew about war.

"They…THEY'RE IMMORTAL!" A young private screamed out as the horrendous vehicles made it to the trench line. He was crushed underneath the treads like nothing, becoming a red paste of ground meat as the land battleship continued unheeded past the front trench lines. And the German's surged inward to the walled trench, killing and shooting his fellow soldiers with no showing of mercy.

A thud of boots hitting the mud behind him had Jacques turning, unsheathing his bayonet to try and kill the enemy on instinct.

The woman from before…she was there right before him as he tried to stab her with a downward motion of killing intent. She dodged…and her hands moved to the deadly looking point of her weapon as it started to spin...and Edgard knew he was going to die as the buzzing saw dug into his shoulder.

"AAAAAUGGHHH!" His scream echoed along the trenchline, mixing in with the cries of his dying soldiers as the blades split and tore his flesh apart. It was an agonizing and brutal death…horrendous as his final sight was of his blood splattering the heavy armor of this female.

"LET'S GO! DON'T GIVE THEM TIME TO REGROUP!" Kagura shouted as she killed the soldier with flecks of blood on her chin. Running forward with several Germans behind her, she came to a communications trench that ran to the South-West.

Lining up at the corner as more of her company did the same, the raven haired female unclipped a hand grenade as the ringing of gunfire and explosions broke the morning air around her. Rapid boots and shouts in a foreign language were approaching, but she really didn't feel any guilt for what she was doing. War and survival were harsh…Erza had taught her that.

She pulled the pin, flinging it around the corner as two troopers did the same. Horrified shouts ran out moments later before the explosives blew, slinging shrapnel and burning shards among the communication trench. Harsh shrieks of pain rang in her ears as she rounded the corner with Private Klumm as the blonde man fired two rapid bursts from her right side.

Two French soldiers screamed, the bullets passing through their stomachs as Kagura finished them off. Three more were on the ground moaning and bleeding…and a four letting out a hideous wail as he tried to pool his intestines back inside the torn flesh that had been his midsection. She locked eyes with him for a moment and his soul…it pleaded for mercy. Raising her lancer, she shot him in the face, ending the suffering as his cries halted in mid scream.

"N..nous! Nous rend..ons!" One of the soldiers pleaded as he clutched the bleeding leg filled with shrapnel.

"Take those three as prisoners and give them medical treatment. I will not condone the execution of the wounded or those that surrender in good faith" Lieutenant Kagura ordered as her men nodded. They all knew that war was a filthy business as the woman moved onward through the trench line toward their first objective. The village of Bezonvaux and the artillery battery that made it home.

Glancing upward at the soil above her head as she ran with the men in her wake, she saw more of the German soldiers in Gear armor surging past as rifle fire cracked. A man screamed in a wet gurgle as a bullet passed through his throat, the rifle clattering to the dirt before her. Rapid gunfire rang like a horrible symphony up ahead as the higher troops fired down into the trenches.

Arriving at a four way intersection of the French positions, Kagura paused as she sidled up to a corner. Her men did the same, their armors already displaying grime and dirt. Heavy rifle fire rang out from around the corner, tempting her to take a peek.

A dozen French soldiers held part of the trench, firing downrange at German troops as they shouted and fired. Stationed among a grouping of crates and barrels, they were completely involved in the small battle as rapid bursts from her distant comrades killed one of the French with a burst through the face.

Kagura gave rapid hand signals to her men, and they moved into the intersection. The enemy were cut down without mercy, their bad luck and folly their downfall as bursts of lancer fire tore into their bodies. Watching them fall as the stench of shit and loosened bowels filled her nostrils among the surprised screams, Kagura felt a small part of her die as she turned away from the small slaughter.

"_They would've done the same to us…or done worse to me…"_ She reasoned…but had a hard time believing it.

"Let's move. That Battery won't capture itself" she grunted out in harsh German as she and her men continued down the defensive line, killing and shooting as they went…

Levy peered through the periscope as her Panzer rumbled across the field of battle. Bullets sparked and pinged off the armor like hail, but it was ineffective as the other tanks continued to move forward with the Infantry mopping up behind them. They had already made seven miles in the first hour, their forward thrust like a spear to the heart as the dull roar of battle was drowned out by the rumbling of the machine's engine.

The hull pattered as a concrete casement equipped with machine guns opened up on her tank and the infantry around them from the front as they entered range.

"PANZER HALT! AP! TARGET FRONT!" Levy shouted as the gunner peered through the target sights with trained professionalism.

"Identified!"

The loader slammed the proper shell into the breech, backing up as the gunner pulled the trigger seconds later. The tank rocked as the munition sped away in the blink of an eye, pulverizing poured concrete as the heavy shell pierced the tiny fort. Little did she know that six men died in that blast…but she had a job to do.

"H.E.! HIT THAT SPOT AGAIN!" Levy shouted with fury as the attack slowed.

"Damn Frogs!" The gunner shouted to himself as the second 37mm munition sped away. His aiming was either impeccable or extremely lucky as the high explosive entered the cratered breech in the concrete wall. It detonated inside with concussive force as the remaining soldiers were blown apart in the blink of an eye as half the pillbox caved in on itself.

Swiveling her periscope as the pings and pangs still sparked off the armor of her Panzer, Levy swung her attention left as another tank approached another concrete pillbox, crushing barbwire and a small trenchline in the process. Jets of flame shot from the twin nozzles in place of a regular cannon, surging through the machine gun port as the men inside fired point blank to no effect. Fire scorched through the distant casement as a burning man ran out the back, his body a horrid match of flesh before collapsing to the earth.

"Driver forward!" Levy commanded, not really caring about the fate of those men as the attack picked up once more.

"Yes ma'am!" the driver's voice rang out as the machine surged forward in a large wedge as the other tanks picked up the pace as the attack regained momentum.

"Such rapid advancement. We'll win the war in no time" he said with a grin as Levy scowled.

"Don't get cocky. As soon as the news breaks, every nation on Earth will begin working on their own panzers or counter-measures. If we were to be surrounded by infantry, that's it…we're dead. All they would need to do is pour fuel down the air vents or open the hatch and fling grenades in here" she lightly lectured as the man nodded. The crew knew…hell…most of the division knew of Levy McGarden and her friend's history. It sounded fantastic…a world of magic and dragons….of monsters and nightmarish battles. Even if they didn't believe that, their intellect and tactics could not be ignored.

"Ah…yes, the world you hail from uses even more advanced weapons"

"I guess? I mean, I helped devel-!"

The tank shuddered from a near miss as artillery started to fall from the pentagon shaped fortress ahead. Shrapnel hissed outside and men screamed from the explosive as no armor could fully protect from a falling artillery shell.

"FULL SPEED! GET INSIDE THEIR FIRING ARC AND START PLASTERING THAT FUCKING FORT TO DUST!" Levy screamed in fury as another shell landed nearby. The panzer rumbled forward, picking up speed as the French tried to keep the newfangled weapons of war away. Peering through the periscope as the tank rumbled over an abandoned trench, she saw the infantry taking casualties as heavy machine guns stitched arcs of fire across the battered landscape.

A Tank exploded to her right, the result of a direct hit as the plunging French shell pierced the top armor of the vehicle…no survivors emerged…and she could only imagine the charred and mangled bodies inside. She shifted in her seat as the treads crushed another row of barbwire as they closed to within half a mile of the star shaped fortress. The artillery continued to fall behind them, but the distant gunners couldn't reach them now due to proximity.

The remaining Panzers started to fire, their cannons spouting orange flame as they fired H.E. munitions at the reinforced, concrete walls.

"FIRE AT WILL!" Levy shouted as the gunner sent the first A.P. shell flying. Yes…it was only 37mm, but directly aimed at the walls, they wouldn't be able to stand up to the punishment for long as showers of dust and rubble started to fly everywhere. The empty casing clattered to the metal floor, filling their noses with cordite and sulfur as the First Panzer Division brought Douaumont and the nearby town under siege. Minutes passed before the first German shells started to fall onto the fortress, adding to the defender's misery as shouts and fear added to the noise and staccato of gunfire all along the front. They were large munitions…probably 105mm as large sections of the outer wall shattered and broke under the new bombardment.

Infantry surged forward under heavy machine gun fire, some men falling as the fifty caliber rounds shattered armor on some…and gave others a chance at surviving as another shell shot down the barrel on a surge of chemical power.

Surveying the battlefield as the closest wall of the fortress collapsed in a crumble of bursting shrapnel and fire, Levy was positive she saw several enemy soldiers fly from the explosion…but ignored it as the infantry raced forward toward the fresh breech. Spotting a flash of white hair nearby, Levy recognized Mira as she led the Silver Crosses across the deadly earth under heavy machine gun fire.

"HIT THOSE DAMN M.G'S!" She ordered with a scream as several panzers started to surge around the fortress to the raging front.

"YES MA'AM!" the gunner complied with ferocity as he started to crank the turret into position…

Mira ran forward in a rapid sprint as her boots crushed the fresh dirt under her heavy boots. Machine gun tracers and rifle rounds split the air around her as the company raced toward one of the man breeches in the wall. A rifle round snapped past her head, making her flinch as another 105mm artillery shell landed on the large fortress that was partially buried in the hill.

To her left, a tank fired at a distant machine gun aperture in the closest wall as the cannon belched a gout of fire and noise. The hole burst outward as cries of pain and screams echoed from inside, silencing the weapon as Mira ran forward with her men.

A man screamed on her left, bowling backward as a different machine gun opened up on nearby infantry.

"KEEP MOVING FORWARD!" She shouted in her harsh German tongue as she cradled her lancer. Setting a destination in her mind as she eyed the ruined machine gun position that was still thankfully silent, she immediately cursed her luck as it resumed firing.

"_New gunners…" _She thought to herself with a snarl as she hit the dirt with the arc of deadly gunfire passing over her head. It tacked to her right like a horrible typewriter, and she found herself on her feet again as she continued to run in a low crouch.

She made it to the concrete wall as shouts of French reached her ears from inside the damaged aperture. The machine gunner was still firing along with a few other rifle men, but she was momentarily safe as the Panzers hammered the concrete wall across from her in the Star shaped layout. Normally…she'd be chewed to bits by machine gun fire from that other defensive position…if it wasn't already a burning inferno from the now halted artillery.

Somebody must've used the new portable radios, because it had shifted further West to bring hate and raining steel among other hard points. But she had other things to worry about as a half dozen men lined up behind her.

"Hitler! Bring that flamethrower and burn these bastards out!" Mira yelled out over the noise as she unclipped a grenade. Approaching the hole as she pressed her armored body to the concrete, she eyed the man with the square mustache. Pulling the pin, she rolled it inside as the shouts of men tried to grab the small explosive. It blew too late, killing the machine gunner as he tried to scramble for it with hisses of metal shards.

Corporal Hitler ran forward, the large tank on his back as he pointed the lit nozzle into the gap and squeezed the trigger. Burning napalm shot forth, eliciting screams of agony as the soldiers inside became nothing more than horrid sticks of flesh.

Wrinkling her nose as the vile stench, she patted the man on the shoulder as he showed a stoic face.

"Nice job. Now let's take this damn fort" Moving toward a heavy door set in some lowered steps, Mira found it heavily damaged as the twisted and bent metal glittered in the morning sun. Working her way past the damaged entranceway as the rancid smell of death permeated the air, she raised her weapon as French soldiers huddled in alcoves along the hallway. She fired a long burst, killing three that failed to make it to cover in time as the throat of one was ripped open. The other two were flayed open as their comrades yelled in fury among the clamor of rifle and lancer fire. They fired, two bullet's smashing into her chest plate as another ricocheted and clipped her left hip. She fell backward with a thud and gasp of air as a trickle of blood started to flow from the unlucky hit. The woman grunted in pain as she lay on the stone floor as her company surged past, anger in their eyes as Private Graff grabbed her by the collar of her armor.

"LIEUTENANT!" Hitler shouted in horror as she was pulled into the safety of the room with charred corpses. Anger graced his lips as his fellow soldiers increased their fusillade down the hallway among shouts and screams.

"FOR THE SILVER CROSSES AND FOR STRIKING OUR BELOVED LIEUTENANT!" Adolf Hitler screamed in fury as a rifle bullet pinged off his right armor and burrowed into the wall. Letting loose another stream of burning fuel, the insidious flames flowed down the narrow hall as Frenchmen screamed and howled over their cracking and bubbling flesh. The men surged forward, killing with bayonet and bullets as their front ranks burned.

Mira growled as she darkened her eyes past her eyebrow scar that seemed to twitch. Slowly standing up, she tested the leg and ran a finger along her hip. It came away with a slight streak of red and light throb, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

"A small graze…bastards marred my beautiful body!" She uttered darkly as she clenched a fist in womanly fury. Private Graff gulped, knowing firsthand of the anger this woman could display. Moving into the hallway of burning flesh and acrid smoke of spent munitions, she moved onward as more men from her company surged inside the bastion…

**The Souville Citadel… 3:19 p.m. Five miles south of Douaumont**

Erza pressed her face into the churned soil as the heavy machine gun fire arced and spat over her body. A few clumps of dirt flew into her hair moments later as the angry bullets impacted the small rise before her. Staying low, she glanced at her company around her as they did the same. It cracked and snapped, etching a sound of death as a nearby soldier screamed in agony. She felt a small sense of pity for the man…but was more relieved it wasn't herself howling in pain.

Erza knew some of her company were missing or dead, but the casualties were lighter considering how many hours this assault had taken as she peeked over the hillock at the target….the Souville Citidel. It rested on a higher ridge across a shallow ravine from their current position, and would be deadly to cross. A fortified trench line lay before the casement along with strands of barb wire, rusty and waiting to ensnare as the enemy hunkered down. Four machine gun emplacements covered the approaches, waiting to cut down her company as rifle fire cracked and snapped all along the opposing ridges. The French 155's boomed, echoing across the land as their shells screamed through the air. They landed among a distant knot of men, hurling the pieces of men in all directions as the wounded screamed.

German artillery crashed down in response, shaking the earth as the distant gunners tried their best to soften the target for herself and hundreds of other men waiting for the signal. A higher officer yelled, his scream racing down the line as the men gulped and silently prayed to make it through alive.

"FIX BAYONETS!"

The clack of steel was barely heard by Erza as her men affixed the deadly blades to the front of their lancers. They all knew…the coming fight would be brutal as the lone female doubled checked her ammunition.

"Men of the Crimson Knights…If you can hear me…It has been a great honor to be with you" She spoke in messy german, the closest men nodding as they did the same to their unofficial company mascot. The artillery punishing the French positions reached a higher crescendo, falling with explosive hate one hundred yards away as shrapnel hissed through the spring air. The French line was still hunkered down…only the machine gunners in the casement experienced of bit of safety as the area was taking a heavy shellacking. Smoke munitions started to land among the defenders, clouding their vision as startled yells rose. And yet…the artillery didn't stop falling as angry bursts of orange bloomed in the swirling smoke.

"NOW! WITH ME!" Erza Scarlet screamed as she sprang up and started to run down the pockmarked and ruined landscape. The troopers followed the crazy female, many unable to stomach letting a lone woman fight their battle for them as hundreds of men flowed like ants down the slope of churned dirt.

"_Please…stop the artillery…"_ The red head thought with a tinge of dread as she reached the dip of the land and started to grunt with exertion up the opposite slope. Blind rifle and machine gun fire wisped through the smoke, creating small furrows among their passage as a bullet smashed into her breastplate. It sparked and flattened, making her gasp from the hammer blow as she staggered…but continued onward as she came to strands of barb wire. Kneeling as another bullet hissed by her head from the swirling dust, she quickly bypassed them with wire clippers as they twanged and spun away in uselessness. Erza had no time to feel fear…only hatred toward these men trying to kill her as she dug her boots into the dirt.

"Here! Through the wire!" she shouted out as the artillery finally stopped falling toward their front. Men followed her with grime and fear etched on their faces as she dropped down into the enemy trench with a heavy thud of dirty boots.

A man snarled to her left, his bayoneted rifle aimed for her midsection as the female shot him in the face. A gurgled scream rang in her ears as he fell before the knight finished him off with a second bullet to the head. Three more soldiers aimed at her from a short distance as she dove to the left, rolling behind a mess of crates as more Germans breeched the trench.

Blind firing over her wooden haven, Erza's lancer spat empty casings as a howling scream filled her ears. Looking past, she saw one of the men down as he howled from a stomach wound with crimson on his hands. Bullets splintered the wood around her, making her duck back as three Crimson Knights ran past her. Moving with a grunt, her troops made short work of the three as the stench of copper and shit filled the air. Running down the earthen trench as more soldiers jumped down to join the first wave, the beautiful woman came to a turn leading into the fort itself. Gunfire erupted from the area beyond, splintering among wooden supports as shouts in that foreign language graced her ears.

Erza risked a glance.

Six men were behind a hasty barricade of barrels and crates right before a heavy, metal door that led into the fortress as they took positions where they could.

Snapping her head back, another tiny fusillade of incoming fire snapped through the warm air as sweat dripped down her brow. Pulling a grenade as two more nearby men did the same, she gave a small nod before throwing all three around the corner. The grenades blew in a burst of destruction as shards of metal and splintered wood dug into soft flesh.

"Take that bunker!" Erza shouted out in command as she ran around the corner…just as a bloodied Frenchman jabbed at her throat with a dagger. His eyes were almost feral, filled with bloodrage as his dead and dying comrades lay behind him in a heap of torn flesh and ripped open muscle.

"MOURIR!" He screamed as she dodged to the left, the blade hissing and cropping some strands of crimson hair. He stumbled, the blade going downward as the Crimson Knight revved up her chainsaw in an instant. Plunging it into his exposed back, it tore and shredded his muscles as she literally lifted him up in a scream of female rage. Blood sprayed downward onto her face, spattering against her armor as the poor soul literally was ripped in half with intestines and organs splattering to the planked ground.

"GRAAGGHH!" She howled as bits of viscera dripped down her chin. Looking back at the slowly dying wounded near the heavy door as her troops crouched down, she wiped some of the gore from her features as a combat photographer snapped off more images of the female combat soldier from nearby.

"Some of you blow that door…six of you with me. I have an idea" She ordered with a stern tone as her gaze spotted the low hill to her left. Moving toward the battered hillock, she strained her leg muscles as she deftly climbed upward toward the upper roof of the buried fort. Ignoring the grunts of men behind her, Erza found herself on the cratered dirt as chunks of concrete and brick were laying around in a haphazard layout. Right below them was one of the Machine gun casements, the guns still hammering as the charge across the ravine ebbed and flowed with casualties. Then…she spotted it. An air pipe that was sticking out into the blue sky.

Erza briefly wondered if it was a design flaw…but ignored the fact as she pulled the Scorcher from her magnetized armor plate. Rushing forward, the other six men grinned savagely as they realized what her plan was.

"Grenades, Lieutenant?" Private Schmitz asked as he glanced around. They hadn't been spotted by any of the defenders…but he couldn't blame them as the 5th army continued to push forward under a rolling bombardment. Glancing back at the female, the nineteen year old from Hamburg was insanely glad the four women were on their side. He had been…unsure at first, but then again, he had just watched Scarlet rip a crazed man in half with a chainsaw.

"Yes. Then a nice surprise at the end" she grinned savagely as the six men each unclipped an egg-shaped explosive. Pulling and flinging the pins away, each man dropped it down the vent as horrified screams and shouts rang upward.

'**BOOOOM!'**

The concussive force could be felt through their feet as howls of the wounded and dying drifted upward…until Erza pointed the end of her personal flamethrower down the narrow shaft and squeezed the trigger. Having nowhere to go but down, the searing flames raced into the dual machine gun position as they washed over the flesh of the survivors. From the front, the firing slit had a flare of heat blow outwards as the smell of burning skin and cooking meat choked the air. And with one of the main avenues of attack cleared, the German infantry surged forward to take the rest of the Souville fortress. Over the next hour as the battle of Verdun raged on, the Crimson Knights would take their objective with thirty percent casualties…

**May 3****rd**** 1915 11:19 a.m. The Belleville Fortress.**

The stench of unburied bodies lingered in the mid-day sun as a German battery of 105mm and 155mm set up around the fortress taken just hours before. To the South-East, St. Michel had also been taken by the 15th Bavarian Division as the bloodied First Panzer's took a much needed rest among the ridge line that looked down at the fortress city of Verdun. The French army had pulled across the Muese under heavy attack, taking murderous casualties as the 5th army took the village of Bras to the immediate north.

German losses were unknown at the moment, but a battle like this surely had thousand's dead as the French put of a murderous fight in some sectors of the front.

Climbing out of his scarred and battle-tested Panzer, Heinz Guderian felt his muscles pop as he set his boots on the ravaged soil. Looking at his command, he saw six of the tanks missing from the assault as their ruined, metallic corpses littered the land behind him. He knew three had been knocked out by artillery…while the other three had been destroyed by an ingenious French-man who used an artillery piece to fire point blank at their newest weapons. It had been horribly deadly to his command…but not enough to slow them as that battery of 75mm cannon had been soon wiped out with a combined arms action.

Taking a sigh as his crew took a much needed meal and rest as reinforcement's surged forward, he spotted them…the four talking with a group of soldiers as a military reporter set up a newfangled recording camera to record them for prosperity. After all…the secret was out now and the world would soon know of them. _"No doubt an invention of McGarden's…a way to show the civilian's the true cost of war"_

Walking forward as the sun hit his back, Guderian waited a few minutes as the reporter did his job and joked with the females for a few minutes before fading away to other areas of the fallen fortress.

"Well…you ladies were correct. This was a game changer. Verdun under our guns…the French dealt a devastating loss in men and weapons and the 5th army taking almost twenty miles in three days. A truly stunning victory"

"Told you so" Levy smirked as the women restocked on ammunition, grenades, and water.

"Major. I have some recommendations for promotion and military honors. Especially Corporal Hitler. He cleared a whole section of Douaumont practically by himself with his flamethrower at great risk to himself. Was wounded in the process when he took a heavy burst to the right chest" Mirajane informed him as she handed him a list of names…along with Erza and Kagura. Blood and grime still covered their armors, but they looked ready to fight.

"Indeed. There are many in the Crimson Knights who deserve recognition"

"I'll see to it" Guderian nodded solemnly as he took the sheafs of paper and tucked them away for safekeeping. Looking at them all, he watched as Levy hit a few large buttons on her strange wrist device.

"Is this it? Are you preparing to leave now?"

"We are. Our world needs us. Humanity needs us. Your country…they have the means to win this war now. Everything Levy left in her lab can be used to bring victory and to better humanity afterwards. Some…something's you won't be able to make for decades, but it will help Germany and the other great nations to avoid many mistakes" Kagura informed him as she took a deep breath with several cuts and scratches marring her face.

"Yes…your locust war. Even now, I find it hard to believe such things could exist" he murmured before standing straight. Giving an honorable salute, the four women did the same in return.

"Best of luck to you all. Germany will not forget your service" he told them as Levy hit a button on her wrist held device.

"Same to you…and if your scientists ever discover dimensional travel…universe one three seven C is our home" Mira grinned as the sun shifted against their marred and gouged armor. Even with the light scar above her eyebrow…she was a beauty.

The device started to glow as the surviving soldiers of the Crimson Knights, Midnight Blades, and Silver Crosses watched from a distance…knowing of the tale these four weaved.

"Well…goodb-!" Kagura started to say as each woman's body started to glow a soft blue, sparking with bits of exotic lightning.

"OH SHIT! SOMETHING'S WR-!" The bluenette tried to scream out just as the four females were ripped from existence in the blink of an eye, leaving the major and the nearby soldiers helpless as distraught horror and loss crossed their features.

"NO! THEY CAN'T DIE LIKE THAT!" Guderian shouted with rage as the first shells flew from the nearby fortress to begin the bombardment of Verdun in the valley below as the great war continued to burn the continent…

**Timeline of events following May 3****rd****, 1915**

**May 7****th****, 1915: Great Britain, seeing the devastating loss by France by the new German weapons and tactics, sign a cease fire with the stipulation Germany removes its troops from Belgium. Germany complies, knowing that this will free up hundreds of thousands of troops to fight the French.**

**May 15****th****, 1915: A renewed offensive with twenty replacement panzers along with a resupplied and morally charged 5****th**** army cross the Muese and take Verdun in bitter street fighting. The city falls three days later as France tries to find a viable countermeasure to the German forces.**

**July 1****st****, 1915: The Empire of Mexico begins 'Ethnic cleansing' in all territory they captured in the American Southwest from California to the sack and burning of Houston. Any non-whites are slaughtered without mercy or quarter as the American theater reaches a new level of horror and brutality. American Engineers begin work on the first U.S. Tanks, copying what they can from reports of German panzers. Mexico soon follows. **

**German production of 'Gear' armor increases by 200%, allowing the re-equipping of six infantry divisions in the 5****th**** army.**

**October 11****th****, 1915: The First, Second, and Fourth Panzer divisions spearhead the attack to surround Paris **

**October 15****th****, 1915: France surrenders to Germany, a feeling of betrayal festering toward the British and other 'so-called' allies. Terms were harsh as Alsace and Loraine were taken along with French West Africa, the Congo, and several Caribbean islands which included Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic)**

**Humiliated as large swaths of the French Empire were taken, the government could do nothing as German troops marched down the streets of Paris to ensure the first payments of reparations.**

**January 9****th****, 1916: The first tank battle occurred between U.S. and Mexican forces south of Dallas. It was a victory for the U.S. as Clarence Combs, the first African American tank commander fought his machine with brutal efficiency, knocking out four enemy tanks with only one loss to his command. His unit would receive a presidential medal while Combs was given the Medal of Honor for his bravery.**

**U.S. casualties surpass two million (600,000 civilian)**

**E.O.M. casualties surpass 1.3 million **

**The U.C.I.A. (The United Central Islands Alliance) land a combined force of 100,000 men supported by artillery and the navy to begin the liberation of El Salvador.**

**Germany sends a naval contingent and a fresh division to secure several E.O.M. holdings in the Caribbean.**

**June 1****st****, 1916: Germany and the Central Powers launch a massive offensive against the Russians as the Kaisers veteran and heavily equipped troops capture large amounts of territory in East Prussia. Russian losses are extreme due to poor equipment, training, and obsolete tactics. An estimated 500,000 are captured in the Ukraine and Balkans as units were surrounded before even realizing it. **

**Austria-Hungary captures Serbia with German support as Russian forces reel from loss after loss.**

**September 5****th****, 1916: Growing threats of a Bolshevik uprising spurns Czar Peter the second to sign a cease fire with Germany and the Central powers.**

**September 9****th****, 1916: The Great War in Europe ends as the losses in lives surpass thirty million on the continent.**

**Greater Germany celebrates their victory as they prepare to establish themselves in their new empire.**

**March 3****rd****, 1917: Mexican forces are unable to hold captured territory in California, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico and southern Colorado as the build-up of new tanks, aircraft, and five army groups smash into their lines under General John J. Pershing after over two years of bloody conflict. Mercy was scarce as few prisoners were taken by the Americans as they began the savage reconquest of their southern states.**

**April 28****th****: The German High Seas Fleet lends support with the American Military as they land a combined amphibious force at Corpus Christie to envelop three Mexican Divisions along the Texas coast. Refusing to surrender, they fight to the last man as fewer than five hundred are captured in the battle.**

**Germany sends a second Expeditionary Force to reinforce their allies in the war along with an additional naval squadron. (150,000 men)**

**July 9****th****: Guatemala is liberated by the U.C.I.A**

**November 8****th****, 1917: After a brutal campaign across northern Mexico as the U.C.I.A pushed from the south, American and Allied forces fight their way into Mexico City in brutal house to house fighting.**

**December 31****st****, 1917: Victoriano Huerta is killed in a last ditch battle for the Presidential Palace as the final pockets of his military are wiped out or surrender to U.S, German and U.C.I.A. Military forces.**

**January 1****st****, 1918: The Great war finally comes to an end as Mexico is carved up by the victors. The Empire of Mexico ceases to exist as territory is taken by all countries involved in the conflict. The United States take most of the northern states of Mexico while the U.C.I.A. carve up southern territory among themselves.**

**Germany takes Veracruz and the surrounding territory, establishing another colony for their expanded empire as peace finally settles.**

**The global conflict saw more than 50 million casualties. (30 million dead, another 20 million wounded)**

**U.S. casualties surpassed five million in the harsh conflict that lasted almost three years.**

**The Russian Civil war begins between Czarist and Bolshevik forces.**

**June 19****th****, 1920: Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Korea, The United States, and the U.C.I.A establish the League of Nations to prevent such a catastrophic war from occurring again. Their first decision is to send support to Czarist forces in the terms of financial, material, and military aid.**

**A previous recording left by Levy McGarden and her co-horts urge stable population growth and the protection of the environment for future generations.**

**November 10****th****, 1920: The Global Protection Act is signed by an overwhelming majority of the countries as large swaths of rainforest, reefs, and habitats are placed under protection. Germany, Japan, Great Britain and the United States form a research alliance to develop safe and clean energy sources for the future.**

**May 6****th****, 1921: Joseph Stalin is captured and hanged as the communist revolution fails in its final days.**

**August 11****th****, 1921. Berlin, Germany.**

Adolf Hitler walked down the street with a smile on his face as his shoes clicked against the sidewalk. All around him, the city bustled as he couldn't help the giddiness he felt during the bright, sunny day.

Recently discharged from the army with several military honors after campaigns in France, Russia, and distant Mexico, the soldier had been thanked by a grateful nation for his military service He was even awarded the Iron Cross by the Kaiser himself…the highest military honor for a German soldier . Eyeing a bench across the street, he decided to take a seat to enjoy the sight in the nearby park as a monument rose under the skill of artisans.

Expelling a breath of air as he sat on the warm bench, the young man was soon joined by a lovely brunette as she carried several books to her bosom as they sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Amazing isn't it…the 'Four Daughters of Germany' I would've loved to meet them. Such…ferocity on the battlefield…and the strength to prove women can do the same as men" the woman spoke out in admiration as Adolf smiled.

"I served under Mirajane Strauss herself in the battle of Verdun. The Silver Crosses were my company"

"Really!? What was she like?"

"Like…an amazon warrior of Greece. They were truly amazing…and helped us win the war. Now…now they're the reason why so many German women are flocking to higher education and breaking traditions" the male informed his companion as she smiled.

"I'm actually doing that myself. I want to study aeronautics and was just accepted into the University of Berlin"

"Really? I was just accepted into their engineering program on the Veteran's bill" Shifting in his seat, he eyed the woman… then a small café across the park as he stood up.

"Miss? Would you care to join me for a cup of coffee?"

"With a veteran of the Great war that served with those legendary women? I would be honored. By the way, my name is Greta…Greta Higel" she smiled warmly as she stood up with the sun beating her hair in a shimmer.

"Adolf Hitler. And the pleasure is all mine" Presenting his arm, he began to walk her across the park as they started to talk idly about their future classes. Spotting an older man pasting a poster to a distant wall advertising the National Socialist Workers Party, Adolf mentally scoffed.

"_Nothing but old drunks and cranks. Germany is strong. Her economy is flourishing and has taken her place on the world stage. All they'll do is complain to the other five members and slowly fade into nothing. Germany does not need that kind of political party"_ Not giving the advertisement another thought, he walked his date inside as the victorious nation headed toward the future…

**Okay, first before you go yelling at me about Hitler. If you know your history, his hatred stemmed from Germany losing the war and constant rejection for his art and…he was filled with hatred at the world. But with Germany a major victor, that would never come to pass. Now…I am not a fan of his or anything. He was a monster. Seriously fucking evil. But with this world now on a different path, that fate wouldn't happen as the nations work together. **

**But with everything else, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and leave a positive review!**

**Levy: Where are we going! What the fuck happened!**

**Kagura: I don't know! But we at least won't end up in the Walking Dead Universe!**

**Erza and Mira: DON'T JINX US!  
**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	4. The Walking Dead

**And here we go! The continuation of Shifting with our four beautiful females of war!**

**Now…I was hoping for feedback on the last chapter…but I guess that's the usual. I write an excellent 10k chapter and get a handful. Other authors follow canon to the letter and get twenty despite poor spelling and grammar. Just the way it works. But, to those that read and enjoy what I write, thank you for it. **

**Now for this timeline…I'm thinking two or three chapters to complete it. I probably could do it one, but then it becomes some super monster chapter. Anyway…lets get to the story!**

**I don't own any media on this crazy adventure!**

**Chapter 4: The Walking Dead**

* * *

A moonlit night cast its gaze on the darkened landscape as the fall air sent a chill through the silent trees of the forest. The chirping of crickets and other wildlife were echoing through the woods that had been bisected by a single road as a rusting sign gave directions to the nearest town five miles away.

Even before the rise of the dead, The mountains of West Virginia had been sparsely populated by small towns and cities. And it was even more prevalent now as the shambling corpses staggered along the worn pavement in an unending search for human flesh. A small horde had gathered, drawn toward each other by their rasps and sounds as they lingered in the fallen fog of the mountain roadway.

A half mile from the road in the darkened forest as branches swayed on the fall breeze, a flash of light appeared as four women crash landed in the murky bog. The lights on their armor gave a bit of illumination, but they found themselves cold and wet.

"Ahh…gross" Kagura complained as she felt the cold and smelly swamp water soak down to her skin through her combat pants. Starting to stand up, the black haired female saw her friends doing the same with equal amounts of complaining and muttering.

Wiping off…something that stank of forest rot from her ass, Mira looked at Levy with an annoyed look. "Levy? What the hell happened? Didn't you put in the right coordinates?"

"Trust me, I did"

"Are you sure?"

"I didn't spend months building this in my spare time to just fuck off and ruin it. Something must have happened" she replied as the wrist mounted device that covered half her forearm sparked and whined.

"Aaannnd…it's dead"

"Can you fix it? And do you think it has something to do with that void we were stuck in before we landed in Germany?" Erza asked as the darkness loomed around them. Looking around, the red head saw no lights except the moon and stars above. Making sure her lancer was ready, the soldier wouldn't be caught off guard.

"I'll need some electronics. Microchips and other supplies to fix this thing. I'm honestly surprised it worked in the first place considering the level of technology we had to work with. As for your theory…might be something to it. But I can't tell right now" The shorter female replied to her friend.

"I think the first order of business is to try and find shelter or some people?" Kagura reasoned as she flipped the flashlight to her lancer on, bathing the nearby forest in a soft glow.

"Kagura's right. We won't accomplish anything standing in this swamp. Let's try to find a road at least" Erza agreed as she lifted her boots and started to walk her way forward. Switching on her own flashlight, the other women did the same as mud squelched and shifted beneath their weight in the chilly bog. Reaching some solid ground after a minute of walking, they each felt a minor shift in comfort…but it was quickly forgotten as the chirps of bugs were their only companions. Swirls of mist and fog surrounded them, adding a chill to the air as they moved through the silent woods.

"At least we aren't under machine gun fire this time…" Mira observed as her body passed a dying tree, the branches scratching against her armor. Her inner thoughts then went to Natsu as they walked, the woman hoping that he was safe and alive somewhere on Sera.

"_If he's with Ultear and Sorano…those hussies better not move in on my man! He's mine!" _

Mira completely ignored the fact she already shared him with close to a dozen women…or that he was married to Hisui. Those two were hussies…and she would prevent their stealing of Natsu.

"Hey. Can any of you use magic? I've been trying and no dice" Levy observed with annoyance as she cradled her L.M.G.

"Nope…looks like the same shit as the last world" Erza observed as they walked steadily in a straight line for another ten minutes. The terrain wasn't the best, some of them almost tripping or falling over logs, but it wasn't horrible either before they emerged from the brush…and found a paved road right before them.

The pavement was cracked in some places while weeds and grass poked up in others. Stepping onto the span of asphalt, Kagura glanced to the left. The darkness loomed far outside the illumination of her rifle as wisps of fog clung to the ground. But nothing moved as she turned back to the others. Still…she couldn't help but feel…uneasy.

"Okay. So we're probably in the middle of nowhere. But this road has to lead to a gas station or town or somethi—"

A shuffling of feet interrupted Levy as a low rasp came from their right. It was joined by the slow sound of a dozen more echoing footsteps as the four women snapped up their rifles in reflex. The illumination coming from their flashlights reflected off the swirling fog, making visibility difficult as another rasp came from the other side of the road.

"Um? Guys?" Kagura started to say as she aimed her lancer toward the sound with tinges of fear climbing her skin. The shuffling got closer…and the first one broke through the fog from barely ten feet away.

It…might have been a woman, but she was so emancipated that the skin hung off her decaying flesh like spoiled leather. Strips of dead skin hung from her left cheek, flopping in unison as the rags she wore were beyond filthy. Lipless teeth gnashed in the low light as she rasped, the dead eyes filled with hunger at the sight of living humans.

"FUCK! ZOMBIES!" Levy shouted out in disgust as another staggered out of the fog. Her L.M.G. erupted as she pulled the trigger, sending a single shot into the rotting cranium of a dead man. The head pitched back, painting another nearby undead in rotting gore as the four women opened fire.

"HEADSHOTS! AND GET BACK TO BACK! DON'T LET THEM SURROUND YOU!" Erza screamed out as she followed her advice and backed up against Kagura. Shooting two more of the walkers down, the redhead kept her lancer pressed to her shoulder as another four stumbled and staggered out of the darkness.

"Yeah! We know!" Mira responded. Firing, the rifle fire reported across the still air as another zombie pitched backward from a skilled headshot. Shifting her aim toward an undead man, Mira killed it with not a single ounce of remorse as gunfire flashed in the night.

"_Dammit! Where did they all come from!?"_

'_**BANG! BANG! BANG!'**_

Kagura shot two of them dead, their bodies crumpling to the asphalt like rag dolls as the third escaped with a fresh wound in its throat. It snarled, reaching for the black haired woman as she cursed. Re-aiming, her rifle barked fire as the stench of cordite and rotting flesh filled her nostrils. It smashed through the eye, sending the monster to hell as it fell in a heap.

"We need to find a building! If we stay out here, we'll be overrun eventually!" Mira screamed out as she killed another two more. The bodies were piling up…and there seemed to be no end in sight.

"Grrr…FUCK IT! This way!" Levy hollered as she killed the dozenth one in as many seconds. A gap had formed in the swirling fog, letting the woman see an opening as more of the undead converged. Sprinting forward, she jabbed the bayonet of her weapon into the face of another as the blade slid through the rotting skull. The stench mixed in with the moans, crawling up her skin as the other three paved a road with gunfire. Female shouts and grunts of the undead were everywhere as the four fought their way out of the rapid encirclement.

Kagura followed Erza and the others, her face a contortment of disgust as the undead closed in on them. Bursting through the hungry pack as some tried to grab or paw at her body, she wanted to scream at them…but there wasn't time as the four emerged past the gathered horde.

They were everywhere. Stumbling down the road…emerging from the darkened forest. It's like their presence had kicked over a hornet's nest as the infected continued to home in on the warm flesh with snarls of hunger.

"This way! Hurry!" Erza implored as she started to run along the road past the creeping dead. The others were with her, not wanting to be left behind as they broke into a full run. One tried to grab her, an undead woman as the redhead pulled the combat knife from her shoulder sheath in an instant. Jamming it into the eye socket, Scarlet cringed at the rotting smell before kicking it away with a heavy boot. Gripping the blade, she kept running with the others as their boots echoed across the pavement along with the staggering swarm behind them.

"God…there's dozens…maybe hundred's…" Kagura observed as she glanced back into the fog as the walkers followed with a shuffling of feet. Returning her attention to the road ahead, the black haired woman could see the first wisps of daylight on the horizon as her flashlight bobbed and weaved.

"Don't think about it. Just kill any that get too close" Levy reminded her as they kept running past a few of the corpses in the mist. Her breath rolled past her lips, leaving a hanging wasp of water vapor as the four kept up a steady sprint along the ribbon of asphalt.

"Thank the COG they're slow…" Mira exclaimed as she jogged next to her friends. The threat had diminished greatly, only a few shuffling toward them from the woods or embankments of the road as a rusting, green sign by the road indicated a town five miles away.

"Don't be careless around them. Natsu fought these things in Raccoon city. They can be deadly in large groups. And if you get bitten…might as well eat a bullet. Speaking of…conserve your ammo. We have no idea how far this infection has spread and the last thing we need is to run out. I suggest melee work against single enemies" Levy reminded her friends as they continued on their endurance run through the rapidly diminishing night. Switching off her flashlight as more rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, Levy nodded in approval as her friends did the same.

"Right. Cause we obviously didn't come to that conclusion already" Erza replied in light annoyance as they slowed their pace a bit.

"This…this would be a lot easier without the armor…" Kagura lightly complained as a half naked man in a tattered bathrobe got to close for comfort. His…member was missing, just a few strands of grisly skin and muscle hung loose as it reached for the mermaid mage in the diminishing fog. Her combat knife was in her hand before she realized it, the blade plunging into its forehead as the brain took the full damage. Sliding it out, the former man crumpled to the road as she continued on without a second glance.

The squad of four women moved along the road for over an hour, eventually slowing their pace to a walk as sunlight finally rose over the mist enshrouded land. The rays of light burned it away, giving the females a false sense of comfort as the first signs of civilization appeared before them. But they knew…that horde was still following them even if they forgot why. A quick glance back could see them still approaching en-masse, their individual features blending in with the fall morning.

"We need a place to lie low. Those things will keep following our asses until we pass out or lag behind. That jog of ours had to have been five miles easy…" Mira told the other three as they passed a burned out home on their left. If anybody had lived there…they were long gone as the main road into the town loomed before them. She could feel how tired…no…exhausted she was after that journey of miles…not to mention all the fighting at Verdun just hours before. And if she had to guess, her friends were in the same shape as her. Wiping the sweat from her brow, Mira looked upon one of the main thoroughfares of the town as trash and abandoned cars littered the road. Some of them had been involved in accidents, their hoods crumpled against other vehicles as stores on both sides of the street had either been looted or boarded up. And of course…a few scattered dead that turned their way with yellowed infection in their eyes.

One of them snarled, limping around the corner of a tipped over minivan as it's bare feet scraped along the broken glass as more in the area homed in on the four women. Mira unsheathed her machete from the armor plate, the sharpened blade reflecting morning sunlight as the former woman limped closer with cracked and broken teeth.

"Dammit…these fucking things are everywhere" the white haired mage grunted out as she swung with exhaustion on her face. The blade dug into the skull, creating a sickening crack as Levy bayonetted a second nearby with grim ferocity.

"We don't have time! That horde will be on us in minutes! This way!" Erza said in a light voice of fear and panic as her brow dripped sweat. They were exhausted. Not only had they literally just come from an active warzone in France, they had been awake for almost twenty four hours now…they needed to find a sanctuary.

Sprinting past the ruined minivan toward a trash strewn alleyway, the knight was quick to kill another of the undead in her path as her friends followed. Pulling the knife free with a yank, the four moved past the brick walls of buildings as random pieces of gore and chewed flesh buzzed with flies and rats on the pavement. Their heavy boots beat down the concrete gap between buildings as their lungs and muscles screamed for a break. Glancing back, over a dozen of the infected followed them with uneven limps and ruined flesh as their emancipated bodies hungered to feed.

The alley opened up into a four way intersection up ahead with a collaboration of spilled trash bins and refuse littering the area. They turned to the right, and Mira screamed as one of them lurked around the corner in their mad dash. It lunged for her, the clammy hands grabbing her shoulders as it bit down on her shoulder armor…and promptly cracked its teeth on the hardened material.

Mira was lucky it hadn't gone for an exposed part of her head or neck.

"Gah! Get the fuck off!" she cried out while pushing it away. It staggered on un-sturdy feet, its smell beyond vile as the Kagura lunged forward and stabbed it in the side of the head with a spurt of rotten blood. It collapsed to the ground like a bag of bones as the woman spotted a ladder attached to the side of a one story building on their left. Killing these things was a hindrance…a necessary action as she moved toward the structure. It was a cinderblock building, but that didn't matter to them…only getting away.

"Hurry!" she shouted as the snarls and rasps of the undead drew closer…and the horde was probably already entering the town as she grabbed the first rung. Climbing, the Gear probably set a world record as her body climbed on automatic. Reaching the top, she swung herself over the lip onto the cinderblock roof as Mira joined her seconds later.

Levy was the last one up, her body reaching the top as she rolled to her stomach.

"Stay low and quiet!" She hissed out as the other three did just that and dropped to their bellies…and just in time as the first of the walking dead lumbered around the alleyway corner. They snarled and rasped in their hunt for warm flesh, their torn and ruined feet scraping along the concrete as the tiny horde of a few hundred poured into the town. The noise alerted more of the infected…drawing them toward the unnerving sound as dozens poured through the nearby roads.

Kagura stayed low…huddling below the raised lip of the building as she breathed in and out with sweat greasing her hair. Her muscles screamed…begged for rest as she looked at Erza with fear and worry. Reaching out her hand, her friend grasped it in reassurance as the stench of rotting meat and shuffling of more passed below them.

"_Oh god…zombies. Actual, fucking zombies! And we landed near a whole horde of them!" _Kagura told herself as she tried to stay calm on the roof.

Mira clutched her rifle, silently praying to whatever deity there was that these things would just pass on…and that they couldn't climb ladders.

"_God….I wish Natsu was here…He…he'd make sure everything was okay" _the female told herself as she just…lay there and listened to the monsters below. Taking a glance at Levy, the demoness could see her friend grinding her teeth in annoyance and anger.

"_If I had my magic…I could shred these rotting pus-bags in an instant! FUCK! I NEED TO FIND OUT HOW WE GOT HERE!"_ She internally raged as the horde continued to pass through the town on some unending journey. They didn't even remember the humans that fled…only that they were all walking in the same direction.

It took another hour before the rasps and snarls of the infected faded into the distance, their sounds moving westward through the mountainous area as Erza finally peeked her head over the lip of the roof…and found the area clear.

"Shit…that was a lot of zombies" She gasped out as she sat up, the October breeze cooling her skin as the others finally moved. Their bodies were stiff…none of them willing to risk the slightest movement as the others tried to work out the kinks and pops of their muscles.

"Tell me about it…I was scared we wouldn't find a place" Mira agreed as she leaned against a roof heating vent while splaying out her legs. The light graze along her thigh throbbed with pain, the battle at that Verdun fortress still fresh in her memory as she inspected the tiny amount of stitching it had required. Watching as Kagura walked around the perimeter of the building's roof, she turned toward Levy as she unscrewed her canteen and took a small swig with a slight shake. _"I…almost died. If that thing had gone for a cheek instead…"_

"Any ideas?" she asked softly as Kagura returned and sat down next to Erza, the roof bearing no supplies for the ladies.

Levy was fiddling with her wrist mounted I.V.D. the scientist holding a distant scowl as she flipped a small panel open…and promptly sighed.

"Well, my first order of business is to get this fixed again and possibly why it shunted us off to…wherever the hell we are. And for that, I'll need some scientific equipment…" She told them while looking around at the stubby skyline of the mountain town with a frown. "I don't expect what I need to be here. I'll need to find a lab of some kind if I want to figure out how and why we…shifted. At the very least, I'll need some spare parts to get this working again"

"Aside from that, we should try to find a proper place to rest and transportation out of this town. Also, we need to be wary of using firearms. Yes…they can kill from a distance, but every time we fire we make noise, which the dead can hear. I recommend we use them as a last resort"

"And while we do have a few days worth of rations and water, we need to secure more" Kagura input as the four women assented. They had goals now, and had to implement them as the squads sniper stood up. Moving toward the front edge of the roof overlooking a different street, she unslung the scoped rifle as she glanced left.

It was mostly a few random stores and buildings that had been looted long ago with a faded sign advertising some local dance, but nothing seemed of interest as she swung her gaze to the right. More abandoned stores lined the road, the panes of some broken in as glass glittered in the sun. If there were any of the dead around, she didn't see them. Kagura hoped they had been drawn into that horde, but she wasn't stupid. There could be some lurking in the shadows or locked rooms.

Reasserting her thoughts, she felt her hopes slightly rise as she used the sniper to zoom on a particular building two blocks away.

"What do you see?" Erza asked as she crouched on her haunches and joined her friend in studying the area.

"Police Station. Or actually, the 'Dunkard Police Station' according to the sign outside. I don't see any of those…walkers, but there could be some inside or lurking anywhere in this town"

"Good. That could be promising" Erza smiled as she set a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. Standing up, her long hair flowed in a light breeze as the four women double checked themselves and their weapons.

Starting down the ladder after checking for threats, the team found themselves moving out of the alleyway toward the main road with weapons at the ready. Bracing herself against the concrete wall of the structure, Levy peered around the corner.

A lone walker stood there…facing away from them as it stared at it's reflection in the front glass of the mechanics shop they had taken refuge on. It's jaw moved…mimicking its own movements as Levy moved forward on silent steps. Jamming the sharpened blade of her bayonet into the side of its head as it barely started to turn, it let out a small sigh of surprise before crumpling to the sidewalk.

Wiping her blade on the dirty and ragged flannel of the man's shirt, Levy waved her friends onward as they moved into the street. Garbage was strewn everywhere. Not only that, but the forgotten belongings of civilization as sun bleached suit cases or discarded clothes clutched to the pavement. Cars and trucks sat haphazardly where they had been abandoned, some of them with the doors flung open and old splotches of blood on the seats.

Mira had taken up the left flank, her machete gripped in her right hand as she approached a pick-up truck that had crashed into the front window of an antique shop. A woman's body was slumped over the wheel, the skin peeling off in waves. It didn't move, but she couldn't help but wonder how long things had been like this. Shaking her head, she quickly rejoined the others as they approached the tiny police station.

The officers had taken a stand here.

Rusting bullet casings and the corpses of dozens of the dead littered the roadway around a sandbagged half circle as crows and rats picked at the decaying skin and muscle of the fallen. A few abandoned weapons lay near the sagging defensive perimeter, but they were flecked with rust. Obviously unusable as a silent police cruiser sat nearby on sagging tires. It's windshield was shattered while flecks of dried blood marked the hood. The driver's side door was still open, letting in the elements as the women studied the scene. Other vehicles sat in misuse around the street, making the area a little crowded as a soft wind blew. Papers and leaves rattled, but past that…nothing moved.

"Think any of them survived?" Mira asked as she eyed the glass doors to the station and did her best to ignore what happened here.

"If they did, I doubt they stayed" Erza replied as she gripped her combat knife. Holding her boltok in her left, the tired and exhausted female approached the entranceway with the others following. Kagura shut the doors, finding it the best option for now even if they were just glass.

A large, plexiglass window was embedded in the far wall of the waiting room as more forgotten debris littered the floor among chairs and benches. A tipped over vending machine was near a second door leading into the station proper as it hung open with a few blood streaks on it.

Darkness loomed in the police station, only a few streaks of light passing through blinded windows as their eyes strained to adjust in the trashed lobby.

"They are drawn to sound, right?"

"Yeah Erza. They are" Levy replied as she gripped her weapon tighter. Watching her friend approach the dusty window, she grasped the idea in an instant.

'_**Tap Tap Tap'**_

The sound from the pistol lightly hitting the glass was enough to wake the dead inside the building as disturbed rasps grew in an angry crescendo. Almost immediately, a diseased officer stumbled into view on the other side of the plexiglass window as it spotted the women…and snarled. It wavered in its steps, shuffling along ratty carpet as a few more mindless corpses followed his example. Slamming it's rotting hands against the window, it left grimy streaks as decaying skin peeled off the face. It pressed its maw against the glass, but found it's way barred as two more walked past in a singular purpose toward the door.

"Remember. No gunshots unless necessary" Kagura reminded them as she gripped her own blade with beads of sweat dripping down her cheeks. Mira moved to the vending machine with heavy steps, the sound echoing around the room as she placed the obstacle between her and the doorway just as the snarls reached them.

The first of the dead pushed past the side door, its clothing coated with crusty blood and stains as it clacked its teeth. The side of the jaw was exposed, the stained bone visible in the low light as Erza surged forward and stabbed it directly through the ear. Rancid blood spurted, its renewed stench overwhelming. Moving back as she pulled the blade free with a grunt, another walker staggered through the doorway.

"Try to keep them from grouping!" Mira shouted as she swung her machete over the tipped over snack machine. The blade hissed through the air, splitting open the rotting cranium of the second monster as ichor sprayed the floor. It crumpled, making two more behind it stumble and trip in their efforts to reach female flesh. They snarled and tried to stand up, but were pushed down by another trio of undead walking through the doorway.

"No shit, Mira!" Levy hollered as she stabbed another in the head, the sharpened blade sliding through the rotten eye as Kagura and Erza leaped forward with deadly intent. The mermaid mage stabbed one of them that made it past the doorway, the blade grating as the smell washed over her. Erza took down another one, her facial expression grim from the hideous work as the rasps filled the air with the sounds of fighting and stabbing.

"Hugh!" she let out as Kagura kicked its body back, interrupting the advance as it tumbled into the last three or four.

"Don't let up! We almost got these bastards!" Mira cried out as she swung full bore at a chubby female. Its chest was a tear of nightmarish wounds and bites, spelling how the woman died as the head came free in a lopping arc. It landed on the vending machine, the mouth and eyes still trying to grasp the white haired woman as they snapped with rotting teeth. Only five remained in the clogged entranceway by now, a mixture of dead police and civilians as Levy finished off the two trapped ones on the floor trying to crawl. Their heads came apart, spilling ichor on the flooring as the number dwindled to three.

Erza huffed in exhaustion, her muscles and body screaming for rest as she braced her forearm under a rotting chin and stabbed the policewoman in the head. The mouth was rancid and filled with crawling worms, a disgusting view as the corpse slumped down.

"Two more!" Kagura yelled out as she dug her combat knife upward through a nose-less face. It died, leaving the last to Mira as she swung and dug the machete into the top of its skull. It split, letting out a surprised groan before falling like a useless heap. Taking a deep breath, M.J. embedded the bloody blade into the decapitated head, finally ending the threat as the lobby hung silent with close to a dozen bodies littered around the room.

"God…that fucking smell" Erza complained with a grimace as she grabbed the arms of the closest corpse. Its skin was loose and shifted under her combat gloves, making her senses crawl as she started to drag the body to a corner.

"Come on, lets clear them out of the way" Levy suggested as the remaining three women started to assist in the grisly task. Over a few minutes of light complaining and cursing, the four cleared the pile of corpses from the entranceway before moving into the station proper.

The scent of stale dust lingered, the surfaces of abandoned desks covered with a thick layer of it all. Wiping a single finger along the beaten surface of one, Levy's digit came away filthy as the other three spread out and double checked every corner and side office.

"Whatever happened here…it's been awhile…" the blue haired woman told herself as streaks of sunlight poured in through some damaged blinds against some windows. A low rasp came from a darkened hallway toward the back, its sound alerting all the women in the building as they turned their attention to the threat. Re-clutching her L.M.G, Levy shone her firearm's flashlight into the gloom as she shuffled forward. The hallway went straight for about thirty feet before turning right, the sounds of the dead echoing along the silent corridor.

The surfaces changed from an office setting to dirty cinderblock as she passed by two doors on her left that led to locker-rooms. Another on her right led to a small armory, its metal surface coated with splotched of dried blood that was almost brown at this point. It had obviously been there for a long time as a fallen body lay nearby on the floor. It had been picked clean of flesh, leaving only bits of rotting muscle and skin among dirty bones as the four felt their senses rise.

"I'll check out in here with Erza, holler if you need us" Kagura whispered as the snarling grew louder. Pushing the door to the women's locker open first, the two soldiers had their rifles ready as their flashlights speared the darkness beyond. They slid inside like mice, leaving Mira and Levy alone in the hall as they passed the bones of whoever it had been.

Another door on the right led to the 'Evidence' room according to the dirty nameplate on the door, but it wasn't a high priority right now as the two females continued on their journey.

"God Levy…Do you think we landed in the Walking Dead universe or something?" Mira asked as a rather loud gasp echoed down the hall. Keeping her machete ready, the white haired woman felt beads of sweat grace her cheeks in fear of the unknown.

"It's starting to look like it. But we can't do anything about it right now" the shorter woman replied back as she moved to the bricked corner. Pressing her back against it, she could feel her body armor scrape against the cinderblock wall as more undead sounds filled the hall. Taking a deep breath, Levy peeked around the corner…and visibly relaxed.

It was the sound of walkers locked in the jail cells of the station. Their arms were jutting out through the bars of the four different cells along the left wall past the turn as darkness loomed in the hallway.

"They're locked up. This will be stupidly easy" Levy smirked as she rounded the corner and shone her flashlight down the corridor. A distant exit sat at the end near a dusty desk, the entranceway shut tight. A woman was slumped against the wall, maggot's fat on rot as the corpse shifted with a slight rasp. Not giving it a chance to stand, Levy ran forward and stabbed her bayonet into the rotting head as the smell of decay pressed around her. And she hated to admit it…but she was starting to get used to it as she pulled the blade free.

Turning, she passed her light over the four jail cells as the corpses struggled against the steel bars. Their faces and bodies were a patchwork of rotting wounds…but the death in their diseased eyes was the same as Mira walked up next to her.

"Just don't get grabbed. That would be an embarrassing way to die" the taller woman smirked as Levy chuckled.

"Eaten by zombies locked in a jail cell. Pathetic. Well, lets get to stabbing!" she said loudly as the dead riled up. Walking toward the furthest jail cell on the left, Levy idly noted six of them in this particular cage. Shrugging, she didn't hesitate before stabbing the first man in the head with her bloody blade. The others tried to reach for her, but their arms fell short as the corpse slumped to the cold floor.

"You know, these cells would be a great place to hunker down for a few days as we search for supplies" Mira said from down the hall as she grunted with effort and embedded her locust chopper into the face of a walker. Moving to the next, she repeated the process with horrific ease as the undead grasped for her.

"I was thinking the same thing. And if this town has an electronics store, I wouldn't even need a lab. I could fix this damn thing and get us out of here" McGarden agreed as she killed her fourth corpse. Turning her attention to the sound of footsteps near Mira, the blunette saw Erza and Kagura step into view.

"Find anything?" Mira asked her friend as she killed another walker with ease, her blade now covered in rotting gore and blood as she moved to the second cell. There had only been three in the first, and now she had to kill more.

"Locker rooms were clear. But no running water" Erza shrugged as she leaned against the wall, content to take a small break as Kagura grimaced from a larger than normal spray of blood from one of the dead. Trying to ignore it, she spoke.

"The armory and evidence room are locked. We'll have to find a key or bust the doors down somehow"

"That's surprising. You think the armory would've been picked clean by scavengers by now" Mira admitted as she gave one final stab…and killed the last of the infected in the jail cells. Letting out a tired sigh, she knew more work had to be done as she started to search. Finding the jail keys still hanging on a panel at the end of the hallway near a desk, she gingerly picked it up.

"_Did they lock themselves in? Did somebody else and then they died before releasing them? Either way…they probably dehydrated to death…Not a pleasant way to go"_

"Mira? I'd like to get this station cleared out before I pass out from exhaustion please" Erza stated as her friend lightly shook her head with fatigue.

"Right. Sorry" Approaching the first cell, she unlocked it with a heavy 'clank' before moving onto the rest and doing the same.

"Let's check outside really quick. I don't want to carry each of these bodies through the whole building" Erza suggested as she moved toward the exit. The knight had replaced her lancer with a pistol and knife again, hoping to kill any threats outside with minimal noise.

Finding comfort in her friends nearby, the redhead pushed the door open as it squealed on rusty hinges. Burning sunlight hit them and the smell of nature as her boots thudded onto the asphalt of the parking lot. A rasp to her left snapped her attention that way as a lone corpse started to stagger toward her from behind a police cruiser.

"Another one over here" Kagura observed as a second wavered and stumbled toward them from the right near a yellow, compact car.

They were quickly dispatched with ease, the women getting proficient in eliminating the walkers as their bodies slumped to the ground. Taking a moment to cast her gaze over the parking lot of abandoned cars and trucks, nothing moved in Kagura's vision except the rustle of wind.

"Okay. Let's get all these bodies out and get some rest. We can start fresh tomorrow" Levy ordered as she propped the door open with a nearby cinderblock and walked back inside to begin the morbid task…

**The next day…**

Kagura woke with a yawn as her lithe body stretched on the cot. Yes…it smelled like rotten mothballs, but it was a bed. A wonderful bed that she had practically collapsed in after clearing out all the corpses from the station. She hadn't realized how tired she had been…and didn't even remember falling asleep. Swinging her feet off the cot, she gave one final stretch and adorable yawn.

"Finally awake?"

Turning her gaze, she saw Levy standing there outside the locked cell as the keys hung from her clasped hand.

"What time is it?"

"Time to get up. Lotta shit to do today" the shorter woman smirked as she unlocked the cell. The door swung open, squeaking on un-oiled hinges as Kagura sighed.

"_How did my life get to the point of sleeping in a jail cell?"_ Easing herself up, she felt the call of nature and made a beeline toward the bathroom as the short woman started to wake up Erza and Mira in the other cells.

In half an hour, the four were situated and eating some rations as they gulped it down with warm, canteen water in the small break room of the building.

"So, what's the plan today?" Erza asked as she finished the meal.

"Find supplies. Food and water are priorities. A working car and gas could help too, but let's just concentrate of not starving for now. I'm going to try and cannibalize some of these police computers for parts, see if I can get the I.V.D. working again. I'll try to get into the armory too" Levy told her friends who nodded.

"Hopefully most of the dead moved on with that horde from yesterday. It…should make things easier' Mira said out loud as she stood up. Looking at the front of the building past the dirty window, she could see the start of morning as she picked up her rifle.

"Don't go risking your life needlessly over random crap. If things get dicey out there, just fall back here" Levy instructed as she moved toward a desk with a computer on it. Crouching down, she was already starting to tear it apart as the other three got ready.

Walking outside, the three could see their breath crisp in the early morning as light bits of frost covered the overgrown lawn of the government structure. To their left was the pile of bodies from the lobby fight yesterday as they lay in a haphazard pile.

Moving into the street, the three eyed their surroundings as a few distant walkers loitered down the road near some looted businesses. They hadn't been spotted yet, but the women knew they would still have to be cautious.

"Let's head to the main street. Maybe there's a grocery store or something" Kagura suggested as the trio started to walk toward the distant undead with purpose and heavy footfalls.

Brandishing her heavy blade as they walked closer over the next few minutes, the rotting corpses finally spotted them as they slowly turned in different levels of rot. Swinging at the closest as it came into range, Mira cleaved off part of the head with one swipe as bits of stench and gore spattered her armor. It fell like a bag of disease, the body crumpling as her two friends dispatched the other walkers with ease.

"Not so difficult when its just a few of them…" Kagura muttered as the woman pulled her combat knife from the head of a dead man.

"Indeed. But don't let your guard down. All it takes is a single moment" Erza reminded them. Deep down she knew her words were unneeded, but she wanted her friends to live as she glanced around the street. More abandoned buildings lined the road…most of them unlikely to hold much of value. Ranging from a laundry mat to a tax office, the red head continued her gaze.

A three car collision took up the intersection up ahead as scattered trash and other abandoned belongings littered the desolate road. Past the pile of wrecks at the corner was a hardware store. The door was flung open as glass glittered in the sun, the display window a forgotten dream as the sign of looters was evident.

"Might be some good stuff in there" Erza observed as she started to walk forward. Staying in the openness of the street, the trio hurried across the desolate roadway before sidling up against the wall.

Mira banged against the door, creating an echo of sound as a few grunts echoed from inside…and the nearby alleyway past the brick structure on her right.

"Kagura, watch our backs!" Mira hissed out as the shuffling of feet over linoleum grew louder. Peering inside, the demoness saw four of the infected scattered throughout the ransacked store as they moved between the shortened displays. Grunting in annoyance, Mira sprinted into the store as the closest walker moved past the cashier counter. Unleashing a swing, her machete blade dug deep into its skull as Erza ran in after her.

"Dammit Mira…" the redhead cursed as she flanked to the right toward the second. Her combat knife flashed among a strand of sunlight before embedding into an overweight woman's temple, ending the second death as the two women moved onto the last two in the store.

Kagura scowled as the other two ran into the building. Three of the undead had wandered out of the alleyway, their clothes nothing but torn fabric. The closest stumbled and weaved closer, easily supported by the other two. She didn't see how she could get close to one without giving the other two a chance to sink their teeth into her skin. They were just clustered too close as they continued to home in on her.

"Dammit!"

Pulling her 9mm from her hip holster, she didn't hesitate to shoot one in the head as the echoing gunshot moved through the air. The head pitched back, spraying a bit of old blood onto a woman behind it as she sprinted toward the right. They turned and rasped, the duo closing the space with unwarranted hunger as she clasped her knife in her left hand and stabbed. The eye of the woman burst, dripping rancid ichor down the cheeks as the third grabbed for her. It's clammy hands barely managed to grip her shoulder armor before she kicked it in the kneecap with a reverberating crack.

"_SO GROSS!"_

'_**SNAP!'**_ The rotten bone splintered in the leg, sending the corpse sprawling as the raven haired female backpedaled. The diseased man tried to grab her ankle, the teeth hungry for her body, but she didn't give it a chance as she raised a heavy boot…and brought it down with a satisfying _**'crunch'**_ The head was crushed like a rotten watermelon as she quickly turned.

More snarls and groans were moving in some looted buildings…and she had created a lot of noise just now. Across the street, the glass front of a clothing store burst outward, spilling five more of the infected into the street as they snarled and started to rise with shards of glass embedded in their rotting skin.

"Crap…" She muttered before turning and running toward the hardware store. Seeing a few more of the corpses staggering out of other structures, Kagura pumped her legs faster. Running inside, she saw Erza and Mira finishing off the last two corpses.

"More are coming!" Kagura said loudly as she looked around with frantic eyes before settling on a nearby shelving unit. Gripping it with both hands, she started to pull and push it toward the entranceway as Mira and Erza sprinted over.

"Dammit Kagura! Why did you have to go popping off a gun!?" Mira yelled as the snarls drew closer to the store…and there were more now as they pushed the shelf into place with a strain of effort. Running back, they started to push another toward the broken display window as the five walkers became a dozen…and they knew they were here by the straight line they were marching. And a few more were still shuffling toward the store.

"Well if somebody hadn't run in here like a machete maniac this wouldn't have happened!" she snapped back as the second heavy unit fell into place with a scrape and squeal of metal on flooring. Running back for a third, each woman grunted with the heavy piece as they manhandled the temporary barricade into place…just as the first undead reached the door and window.

"We can blame each other later! Just concentrate on killing these things!" Erza yelled at them both as she lunged her hand forward and stabbed an emancipated walker through the forehead. Jerking her hand and knife back just as quickly, she moved onto the next as the barricade shifted under the onslaught of the dead.

"Grah!" Mira let out as she swung her bloodied locust chopper at another, the blade digging deep into the rotting cranium as bits of skull and blood flew. Yanking it out with a grunt of exertion, she tried to ignore the overwhelming stench of death as clawed arms reached for her through the doorway. Swinging again, she killed another with feral ferocity.

"On the bright side…we probably cleared a few buildings by accident!" Kagura said over a rasping snarl before stabbing a dead woman in the head. Her face was a patchwork of torn skin, the obvious cause of death as the corpse fell from sight. Gripping her knife, she killed a second with a downward stab as Erza did the same with a grunt of effort and anger.

"Still! I don't want to be overrun!" Scarlet commented as she killed a fifth. The barricade was holding for now as the three females fought with blades to diminish the tiny horde of monsters with sprays of rancid gore spattering the walls and nearby surfaces. Unfortunately, the activity and shouts mixed in with the insidious groans of infected humans kept drawing more from nearby buildings and alleyways as the number swelled to over forty.

"Dammit! These things wont stop coming!" Mira screamed out as she killed her eighth of the day with her blade. Pulling it back, another undead man reached for her as the snarling mass of walkers bit and clawed the air beyond the makeshift barricade…which was starting the shift under the weight of bodies.

"Grr…Fuck it!" Erza called out as she pulled her lancer free and pressed it to her shoulder. Aiming at the closest face, she pulled the trigger. A resounding bang echoed in the building, letting a stench of cordite mix in with the smell of decay as a neat hole was drilled through the forehead of the walker. It pitched backward into the gathered horde, its body forgotten as the remaining forty or so got even more riled.

The shelving shifted again under their pressing mass, the scraping sound like nails on a chalkboard as one started to press toward the left toward Kagura. Its chest was torn open, the organs a mess of rot and decay as a piece of lung fell to the side.

"Dammit! They'll get through!" The black haired woman yelled in a tinge of fear as she grabbed her 9mm snub pistol and aimed at the horrendous man. The gun report echoed, taking the walker in the eye as it fell before she shifted targets to the next and fired again.

It was loud, messy work for the next few minutes as the three women fired into the gathered masses, each bullet making a kill at how close the dead were. Snarls and nightmarish rasps of hunger were cut off as their ears rang with each report, their eyes beholden to the undead slaughter as they kept shooting.

A brass casing pinged against the wall, clattering to the floor as the street finally stood in silence before the three as tendrils of smoke wafted from the barrels of their weapons.

"By the COG…there must be fifty of them out there…" Erza admired as she reloaded her lancer. She was still laden down with about five hundred rounds for her weapon and a fully loaded flame thrower…but she didn't feel like fighting undead freaks…while they were on fire. Her Boltok hadn't been used yet, but they would still have to conserve.

"I just hope that first horde didn't hear this" Mira said simply as she looked into the street of fallen bodies. They were splayed everywhere in a second death as the sun beat down on them, their rotten features a horrific sight to behold.

"Well, it has been a day and we were inside a building. Hopefully they had moved out of range by now" Kagura observed as she started to look around the store. It was still ransacked by humans in the past as Erza started to move down a distant aisle.

"Let's look around. Anything can be useful" she instructed while walking past a section with boxes of long nails and strands of barb wire. Sighing since she couldn't throw nails at the undead, she moved on as Mira and Kagura moved the barricades back into place. After all, more could easily show up.

Eyeing the door to the back of the building as her two friends complained lightly, Erza pushed the ajar door open some more. It was gloomy and shadows jumped, but there was enough daylight to see as she stepped into the hallway lined with overstock. It was decently sized, a few more aisles of storage holding who knows what stretching to her right.

There weren't any bodies which was a small blessing for herself as her combat boots echoed along the linoleum flooring. Eyeing everything around her, she really didn't see anything she could use….unless she wanted to start a roofing business or build a house.

Turning the last corner as Erza flicked on her flashlight while her armor gave off a blue glow from the lights lining her chest, she felt her mood increase.

"I guess the owner liked to tinker…" she told herself as she spotted the heavy work bench near a small office. There wasn't much on the bench…except for a metal baseball bat resting on its surface. To the left, a familiar red canister of plastic sat with a long nozzle poking upward.

Picking it up, her throat let out a gasp of effort as the contents of the ten gallon gas canister sloshed and shifted. Setting it down with a smile, Erza eyed the bat before grasping it in her right hand.

It had heft. Far more than a cheap, lightweight bat. No…this was higher quality make. Testing it with a swing, it felt right as she placed it on her magnetized armor plate…but something was missing. Smiling in a slightly sinister manner, the redhead instantly knew what was needed.

An idea popped into her head as she picked up the can of gas with a strain of effort and started to walk back to the main store. She was back in a minute as Mira walked around, her eyes searching for more as Kagura kept guard on the street. Another walker had appeared, but the female was up to the task as it started to stumble toward the human past it's fallen brethren.

"Hey Erza. We found a half carton of water underneath the register…Oh, you found some gas?"

"Sure did. And something for myself as well" the redhead smirked as she grabbed a forgotten hammer and a box of large, heavy nails and some barb wire. Walking out of sight in moments, Kagura watched her friend disappear as the walker made its way to the barricade.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, the female walked up and stabbed it in the head. Earlier was scary…dreadful. But dealing with one was just an annoyance.

"These damn things are annoying…"

"Tell me about it" Mira agreed as she eyed a shelf of vehicle batteries along the far wall. Most were gone, but a few still remained. _"If we can get a car running, maybe we could find a safe haven until Levy gets us out of here"_

'_**CLANG!'**_

The sound echoed from the back like a resonating hammer as Mira jumped at the sound. Turning, she moved to the entranceway as forgotten pieces of parchment littered the floor.

"Erza? Is everything okay!?" Mira yelled down the hall…and was met with another loud _**'CLANG!'**_

"I'm fine! Just give me a minute and watch the store!"

"Tch! You make noise and I have to stand guard…damn slut" Mira grumbled about her friend/ rival. Ignoring another heavy clang from the back, she moved past rows of forgotten paint cans and plungers. Apparently…nobody worried about painting when dead people were walking around.

Moving toward the register, Mira leaned against it as Kagura kept a vigil.

"How are you doing?"

"Aside from the madness of our lives? Or the fact we landed in a universe of walking dead people?" Kagura replied with a cocked eyebrow as a light breeze wafted into the store, shifting some loose papers.

'_**CLANG!'**_

Pushing the noise away, the mermaid mage sighed.

"I'm worried about everybody back home. I mean, we didn't even make it to Sera…they probably think we're dead. And…I was thinking about….the sisterhood. I know Erza said I could join…but it's kinda weird to just be volunteered for a massive harem when I haven't even dated the man in question?" she asked as Mira nodded slowly.

"I've been thinking of home and Natsu too. I know those that are left will keep fighting, but if they think we're dead…that will probably mess Sam up a lot…maybe a few others. She would see it as a betrayal…to lose those she loved all over again" the woman paused, pursing her lips as she idly scratched the eyebrow near her scar. "As for the whole harem thing…you've been accepted. But you don't have to if you don't want to. And Natsu…despite how….grumpy he is, that man can be very romantic when he wants to be. But, that can be something for the future when we make it back home. Thinking about getting you on a date with him is a pretty low priority right now"

"True…" Kagura blushed slightly as she looked away awkwardly as another 'clang' echoed from the back.

"Is…is it true about his stamina in the…the bedroom?" Kagura asked after a few minutes of silence. _"I have to ask Mira…she's the least perverted out of all three of them"_

"Heh…very. He manages to hit all the right spots. Of course, when we return home, you can assist me in pleasing him" Erza stated as she walked out of the back holding a baseball bat in her right hand. Kagura groaned, the perverseness of her childhood friend making Mira chuckle as the duo looked at the new weapon.

Letting out a low whistle, Mira could say she was slightly jealous. A metal bat had been transformed with long, nail's jutting out at odd angles while the end was shrouded with barb wire. It looked menacing.

"What a sinister looking weapon" Kagura complimented as Erza smirked.

"Thanks. I'm calling it 'Strawberry" the female admitted as a few rasps echoed from outside the store. Looking beyond, Erza saw three of the undead staggering from the road near the traffic accident as she gripped the bat.

"And now is the perfect chance to test it…" Moving in a rapid burst, she leaped over the barricade as she sprinted to the closest, undead female.

"STRAWBERRY IS HUNGRY FOR YOUR BLOOD!" She hollered out as Erza swung like a pro hitter. The metal bat hissed through the air, it's aura almost screaming to be tested. It connected with the woman's temple, spattering gore across the hood of the nearby car as the other two walkers homed in.

"DIE AND FEED IT'S HUNGER YOU SHITBAGS!" the knight yelled as she smashed the cranium in of a rotting man. He fell like a pus-sack, the body already forgotten as Erza finished off the third with a bludgeoning swing. Bits of the skull flew away as the end of 'Strawberry' started to look the part with bits of rancid gore tangled in the wire and heavy nails.

"Honestly Erza…you could've just killed them normally…" Mira stated as she walked up with the gas can in hand. Kagura had grabbed the water, her eyes studying her friend who only smiled.

"I obviously could not. Strawberry needed to taste battle"

"_She's already treating it like a person…"_

"Whatever. Let's get this stuff back to the station. Then let's try to find a grocery store or something. We have no idea how long we'll be in this town…" Mira's words trailed off as she started to walk down the road, the gas container sloshing as the October sun beat down on the trio…

**Two weeks later…**

Levy loaded the last of the spare ammunition and remaining police firearms into the cruiser as Erza kept a vigil in the parking lot. The weather was cooler now, a cold gust of wind reminding them that winter was close. Glancing down at the nearby box of canned goods, water, and two spare gas cans, the bluenette sighed as she studied her nearby friend. Erza hadn't really changed much by being here, the only difference was the short suppressor attached to her Lancer rifle.

That had been the main task on the third day…making their assorted firearms quiet. And with the hardware store nearby, they had managed to make some sound suppressors with piping and other supplies. It had cut down the risk to them all considerably considering how crappy this world was.

The past two weeks had been a daily chore of finding things for their survival and clearing buildings of the dead. Everyday, there had been a new store or house to clear out in the hopes of finding something. Often times…there wasn't much as the walkers just mindlessly came after them. And now…now they had picked the town clean of food and water. Gas hadn't been a problem considering all the abandoned wrecks around the small community. All they had to do was siphon it and they were good to go. Even this squad car hadn't taken much to fix up. All it really needed was a new battery and tires.

Letting out a grunt of annoyance as she closed the trunk, Levy glanced as Kagura and Mira walked out of the station in full armor. Her scowl wasn't because of them, no. It was because she had fixed the wrist mounted I.V.D. …and it wasn't working. She had input the co-ordinates for home, and nothing. Tried every known allied universe like eight seven seven-X or Natsumi's world…nothing. It would start to power up…then the portal would immediately fail with a power drain and a strange tingling sensation in her body.

At least she managed to find out the universe they were in based on the screen read out. '4999-WD' had displayed in bright, blue colors on the electronic read out along with a time stamp…but it was counting down with weeks left until it reached zero. Frustrated, she had immediately cut the power.

Of course she had taken it apart and rebuilt it…five times after that. She even switched out components after finding a small electronics store on the other side of town…and it still failed. And with the option of portaling away to another reality unavailable, they had to move on or risk starving to death in some no name bumble-fuck town.

"Ready to go, Levy?" Mira asked as she gripped a road map. Strauss would be driving apparently as the scientist nodded. The others were already in the car, waiting on her with expectation.

"Yeah. Let's get the fuck outta this town" she replied as a few walkers staggered out of the nearby woods at the far side of the parking lot. They saw her, the distant snarls growing excited by the prospect of living human.

Ignoring them, Levy climbed into the back of the squad car as the engine rumbled to life. Mira pulled onto the road, leaving the dead behind as she started to drive Eastward along the deserted asphalt to the next town of Greensboro…

Mira had been driving for about three hours now as they drove through the hilly countryside. A few wrecks had sat along the road during their journey along with the occasional walker, but nothing significant to warrant a stop. They had even driven through a few deserted villages…if you could call them that.

"_I'd be surprised if a hundred people had lived in the last one before all this. Practically a single street with a gas station"_ She thought as she slowed at a desolate intersection. Glancing left, she saw a car flipped onto its roof near the stop sign as an undead driver pawed and snarled upside down. He was still strapped in.

Shrugging, Mira turned north along the road as Erza and Kagura idly talked in the back. Levy had been mostly quiet during the road trip as she stared out the window at the passing forest. A few distant homes could be seen poking through the trees, but who knows what could be lurking in those woods as the minutes passed.

The car rumbled a bit, the tires bucking slightly over some tiny potholes as a large billboard advertised 'Dan's Diner' three miles away. It was faded and cracked, the poster peeling as Strauss kept driving.

"Levy. I know your upset about the whole I.V.D. thing, but I'm sure you can figure it out" She told her friend with reassurance as she glanced back, taking her eyes off the road for a moment.

"If I don't we'll be stuck here fo- LOOK OUT!" Levy screamed with a pointed finger past the windshield to the road before them. Mira snapped her head back, her foot already slamming the brakes as a woman ran into the road. Tires squealed, leaving a stretch of burnt rubber on the asphalt as Erza peered through the glass with surprise.

The female in question was young, probably their age as she gripped a crowbar in her hand. A holstered pistol was on her hip, a large silencer adorning the end as brown boots covered her feet. A pair of woman's jeans covered her legs and hips, leading up to a flannel shirt that covered a pair of large breasts. A dingy, brown backpack was hanging off her shoulders, the contents unknown. But this was secondary to the flowing, pink hair and the three scars that covered her once beautiful features. One dragged down her chin, a mar of scarred flesh while another went past her left eye to her hairline. The third traveled from the right corner of her mouth to her right ear, leaving a patch work of horror that mixed in with her terrified eyes. She was like a deer caught in the headlights as she grabbed her pistol and aimed it at the police car with a shaking tremble. Her skin was clammy with sweat, a tremble on her lips as her chest heaved from exhaustion and fear.

Of course, all four in the car immediately recognized her as Erza opened the door slowly and stepped onto the pavement with cautious intent.

"Natsumi? Is that you?"

**And done! I hope you all enjoy their first chapter in the Walking Dead universe! And before you ask, this Natsumi is not from 132-F. This one is from Unknown Legion's Battle for the Multiverse. She got tossed here randomly and has been surviving since then. Now, I'm not sure if this will be a two or three part storyline yet. But I do know I want to bring in Negan! Maybe Rick and his group…not sure yet. All I know is the next chapter will deal with some nasty people! **

**And you all know…YOU ALL KNOW THAT ERZA WILL UNLEASH HER INNER NEGAN WITH STRAWBERRY!**

**Once again, I hope you all enjoy and leave some positive reviews!**

**Negan: Hot Damn! These are some high quality ladies right here! And Erza…I love your style. After all, Lucille and I get to play too**

**Erza: You know…we haven't met yet**

**Negan: Doesn't matter! I just love the fact that we might be crossing paths soon. And damn…love a strong woman! Say…does Strawberry get…thirsty?**

**Erza: Only for blood**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	5. Raiders

**Hello everybody! Here's another chapter to follow the journey of Erza, Kagur, Mira and Levy through the multiverse! Now this might be a two part or three part universe…Not exactly sure yet as of right now lol. But there will be zombies! And asshole human's! **

**But for now, I hope you all enjoy it and leave some positive reviews! Or at least read it, hahaha!**

**I don't own any media**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Raiders**

Natsumi gasped as her eyes studied the woman stepping out of the police car. Shifting her pistol, her mind screamed as a freezing breeze blew past her.

"_No…NO! She can't be real! She's dead! I saw her die!"_

Then the voice called her name…a voice she remembered screaming in agony as the woman before her was tortured to death by those…monsters. Natsumi wondered if her mind had finally snapped as her body shook.

"Natsumi? It's me…Erza" the red head tried to say as the scarred woman gripped her pistol tighter.

"No…you died! You…I saw you die! This…you can't be here!" Natsumi shouted…just as the snapping of twigs and fallen branches from the woods shifted her attention.

The dead had followed her. Easily a dozen as they emerged from the growth of forest. They snarled and limped, eyes devoid of life as the wind blew their tattered clothes. They spotted her as they let out hungry snarls.

"Shit! I thought I lost them!" Natsumi cried out as her voice cracked. Her life…her existence was a curse as she remembered the _months_ of striving to stay alive raced through her minds eye. Brutal scavengers…hordes of the dead always searching…hunting for her. It was almost enough to make her give up.

More emerged from the tangle of trees, easily tripling their numbers as the first ones were thirty feet away from the car.

"Dammit!" Erza said in loud frustration as the scarred pinkette seemed to freeze. Running forward, she already had her lancer in hand as she fired off a trio of shots as the tiny horde.

'_**BANG! BANG! BANG!'**_

The gunshots echoed, snapping across the winter landscape as three of the dead were killed. Bodies fell to the pavement from headshots, but this just served to excite the rest as they shuffled forward on rotting shoes or torn feet. Their hungry snarls grated on her soul…something she would never forget as they loomed closer and closer.

Natsumi felt her left wrist gripped by a gloved hand as her eyes gazed upon the armored female with the rifle.

"C'mon! Get in! You can have a mental break later!" Scarlet shouted as she practically dragged the stunned woman toward the police car.

"_Her hand…it's real?"_ Natsumi thought in stunned silence as the dead shifted. She found herself being flung into the back of the cruiser in moments before Erza climbed in and slammed the door.

"Floor it, Mira!" Erza shouted from the back as the first corpses started to press their decaying hands against the windows. One pressed its lipless mouth against the glass near Mira, the former woman leaving streaks of decaying gore.

Mira punched it, flooring the gas pedal as the car shot forward from the small encirclement. Three of the dead were bowled over like pins as they hit the cold pavement. One had its leg snap, but this didn't deter the walker as it started to crawl toward the diminishing noise.

Looking into the rearview mirror, Levy watched as the thirty something ghouls started to recede. They were rapidly outpacing them, but she knew they would continue on this path until something else grabbed their attention. Eyeing the scarred woman in the middle of the seat, Levy could see the fear in Natsumi's eyes.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say your not Natsumi from universe one thirty two-F?"

The pinkette looked up at Levy…and immediately noticed the four inch scar across her cheek. Then she looked to her right at Erza…then left toward kagura. Gripping her pistol, she knew that these…these women were imposters somehow.

"NO! I…I WON'T LET YOU EAT ME YOU FUCKS! DEMON MONSTERS IN MY HEAD!" Natsumi cried out as she raised her gun and tried to point it toward Mira in the driver's seat. She barely got it raised halfway as Levy pointed her own pistol at the pinkette.

The hammer cocked loudly in the car as Erza grabbed her gun arm and forced it down. Struggling against the strength of the knight, she immediately felt the long barrel of a silencer pressed against her temple as Kagura raised her own berretta and calmly sat there with a glare.

"WE'RE NOT CANNIBALS! NATSUMI! WE'RE REAL! I'M ERZA! THAT'S LEVY AND MIRA! THAT'S KAGURA!" Erza shouted at the panicking female.

"NO! You…YOU ALL DIED! THIS IS…IMPOSSIBLE!" Natsumi tried to scream out as Erza wrestled the firearm away.

Mira clenched the wheel, watching the ribbon of asphalt as her friends tried to deal with the panicking female. Driving around another abandoned wreck in the road, the woman eyed two wandering dead as they quickly drove past.

"Natsumi…look at me"

The woman with facial scars stopped struggling, her eyes locking onto Levy as she breathed and breathed with panicked gulps of air. Her large breasts rose under the flannel shirt, the clothing hiding more scars.

"We are not your Erza or Mira. Hell, I'm not your Levy and our universe never had a Natsumi…but a Natsu instead. The male version of you. We are from a parallel universe…a different timeline from yours. And from your reactions…we died, right?"

Natsumi nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "D…demon's invaded. Tortured and killed you all…everybody I loved…died. My….my whole world is gone. I was saved by…Romeo and…another demon named END…they tossed me here…"

Her tears flowed, trickling down her cheeks as her wall of defiance crumbled.

"IT'S BEEN HELL! EVERYWHERE I GO IT'S DEATH!"

"We know what that's like….trust me" Erza lamented as she put a hand on the crying woman's thigh.

"HOW!? How could you know!?"

"Because monsters invaded our world too! Billions are dead and we have lost many of our friends to the locust horde! Before we were stranded in the multiverse, there were only an estimated twelve million left on our planet! Then we get thrown into another war in Europe! Then we ended up here fighting off walking corpses! So yeah, we know a little bit about monsters killing!" Mira snapped as she drove past an overturned bus on the edge of the road. It had hit a truck, spilling wreckage among the light dusting of snow on the ground as a pinned corpse tried to break free of the engine block…it failed as the police car drove past with ease.

"You…you lost friends too?" Natsumi choked back as Erza nodded.

"Yes…the locust war has been…devastating to our world. I'm a soldier…A Gear of the COG and serve in the same squad as Natsu, Sam and Glenn. Some of the things I've seen…are haunting Natsumi"

"Not just our world either. There have been some horrible realities that we have assisted. My hope is to someday create a multiverse coalition of worlds that can fight and end wars…that will help those in need" Levy input as she slowly lowered the weapon in her hand. Studying the readout on her wristed mounted I.V.D. the scientist saw several weeks left before they would…shift. At least, that's what she hoped.

Lowering her own weapon, Kagura kept an eye on the pinkette with caution as her breathing slowed to regular levels.

"Listen Natsumi…I don't know what you want, but you can ride with us for now. If you don't, we'll drop you off somewhere, no harm, no foul" Mira said with a smirk as she turned to look at the new passenger.

Natsumi finally saw the scar over the white haired woman's eye…and it made her feel at ease for some reason. Almost akin to her own blemishes. Unfortunately, it was short lived as the pinkette saw the approaching diner in the light snow of winter….and it made her senses scream at what it represented.

It looked to be fortified with several walls of makeshift construction materials and abandoned cars taking up the parking lot on the right hand side of the road. Movement caught her eye along with the others as several men raced out from a makeshift, sliding gate. Alarms roared in her head, recognizing the threat as a roaring engine pierced the quiet aura of abandoned civilization. There was nothing they could do as the T-intersection loomed out of nowhere with trees enclosing the roadway.

"MIRA! LOOK OUT!" Kagura screamed as the military transport truck from the left swerved…and aimed right for the driver's side of the police car.

'_**CRASH!'**_

Glass tinkled and shattered as the larger vehicle bludgeoned into Mira's door. Her body bounced and shifted against the seatbelt, getting tossed about as the kinetic force knocked her out. Flying glass cut at her cheek as the same happened to Kagura from the charging impact.

The police car spun across the road, the tires squealing as Erza's head knocked against the glass of her window with a heavy 'thwack' Groaning with pain as the car finally came to a stop, she could only hear the running footsteps as cobwebs graced her vision.

"Shit…SHIT!" Natsumi cried out as Levy groaned and cursed. They were all knocked senseless…and male voices were shouting.

"Quick! Get their shit!" One man yelled as he jumped from the larger pick-up truck and gripped his rifle.

"Fuck…Fuck!" Levy cursed loudly as she tried to grab her L.M.G. that was resting along side the seat in the door well. A quick study of Mira told her all she needed to know as the shorter woman gripped the weapon in her hands…but she wasn't fast enough.

One of the men ran up to the passenger door, an M-16 gripped in gloved hands as a wool cap covered his head. Raising the butt of the rifle, he smashed it through the window as the stock slammed against Levy's temple. Glass flew once more as a fresh gash appeared near her blue hair.

"Ungh!" Levy barely managed to say as her head swam and vision blurred. Wet liquid dripped down from the fresh blow, leaving a trail of red as the man aimed his larger weapon at Natsumi in the back.

Natsumi was frozen in fear, her eyes seeming to stare into eternity that represented the military firearm as another five or six men surrounded the squad car.

Erza's fingers fumbled…trying to reach her pistol as Levy passed out from the attack…but her vision was clouding as one of them males laughed. The voices were fading fast…and Scarlet knew she needed to fight as her vision started to fade to black.

"_No…I…I have to stay…awake…"_

"Holy shit boys! We hit the jackpot! We just wrangled us some fine pussy! Let's get them inside!" one of the attackers grinned and joked as Erza's eyes finally closed…and darkness took her.

The doors were yanked open, men grabbing the women as Natsumi tried to bring a weapon to bear. Watching as Kagura and Erza were dragged out, she tried to swing her crowbar at the man that had dragged the unconscious woman. It missed as the metal club hissed through the air.

"Oh ho ho! We got one still awake! Jeb, take care of her" Harvey called out as he studied his fresh prize.

"NO! YOU FUCKS!" Natsumi yelled in anger as she felt herself being yanked and pulled from the other side…and was immediately grabbed from behind. Trying to kick her assailants, she found her legs grabbed as she was manhandled from the ruined vehicle. Her arms were immediately pinned by a larger, middle eastern man in flannel as a hat proclaimed 'Make America Great Again! Hillary 2016'

"That's enough of that you bitch!" another man shouted, his hair and beard an unkempt mess as he punched the pink-haired female in the face.

The blow was like a hammer, knocking her head to the side as it started to sting. Feeling a bit of coppery blood in her mouth, the woman snarled.

"You'll have to do bett—" A blow to the back of the head from her holder knocked her out as her body crumpled to the snow cold pavement.

"God damn, Habbi. You didn't need to hit her that hard…" Jerry stated as the middle eastern man shrugged.

"Fuck it. Get these bitches inside and loot their car for anything" Rolling the woman over, Jerry started to yank the back pack free…and admired her toned ass in her dirty jeans. Licking his lips, he could feel himself going hard at just the sight of her legs.

"Shit…when was the last time you saw women like these?" Another raider asked as he started to drag Mira to the diner. He was already…'admiring' the curves that were greatly evident under her armor. Grunting, he idly wondered what kind of armor this was…but shrugged with non-caring.

"_Doesn't fucking matter. Probably some custom jobs they made"_ the man concluded as he walked backwards with his trophy.

"Fuck man…at least a year. Maybe more?" Another suppled as he was doing the same with Levy. Her head was lolling forward in unconsciousness, the blow complete in knocking them out as the men grinned.

"I almost feel sorry for them…but men like us have needs and I'm gonna make this white haired bitch mine" Justin Bieber grinned as they dragged them into the enclosure. It had been…far too long for Justin. Especially after the loss of all his fans and groupies. He used to snap his fingers and a woman would drop her pants. Now…now he would rebuild his fan base like in the days long gone. Still, life was strange considering he ended up in rural West Virginia.

"You think the hair color is weird on some of them?"

Justin momentarily paused before looking at his fellow survivor. "Who cares? They have mouths, tits, and cock holes. That's all these sluts will be from now on"

"Hehe…yeah"

And with that, the apocalyptic survivors commenced with securing their new found women and supplies as they took everything the five had to their diner encampment…

**Several hours later…**

Mira woke with a groan…and winced as her side and body flared. Slowly opening her eyes as the headache made her hiss in discomfort, the female started to take in her surroundings. And the first thing she noticed was that she was cold…too cold. Looking down, she found herself out of her armor and wearing nothing but panties and a bra. Something that angered her on a personal level as her body shivered. Trying to move her arms, the woman found that her left wrist was handcuffed as she tried to move the restrained hand.

It was attached to a pipe against the wall to her left…and an equally bound Natsumi as thick rope kept her in place. Shaking the handcuff lightly, it scrapped and tinkled against the pipe.

"Damn…" Mira grunted in a whisper as the low light of a few candles danced along the metal walls.

"Yeah…we got sucker punched that time. I hit my head good against the glass" Erza whispered from the far wall.

Looking over, she found her long time rival and friend in the same state. Her undergarments were quite visible as her breasts heaved and swelled with breath…but the look in her eyes was murderous as she stood with her arms stretched above her head. Her wrists were bound by rope above her, making her feminine body seem extra vulnerable despite the random scars from war.

Next to her was a groaning Levy and silent Kagura, the blue haired mage tied against another pipe set against the wall. The mermaid mage was back to back with Levy on the floor, the removal of armor obvious. And now that she had a good look of the room, it looked like a walk-in refrigerator or freezer as a single door with dirty glass let in small streaks of light. The shelves had been removed…and a few dirty stains marked the floor near a drain. Mira couldn't tell if it was old blood or just long removed food, but it made her fear grow.

"Where are we?"

"Those men that hit the car brought us here. Mira…these men plan on ravaging us. I heard it before passing out" Erza replied in a strained whisper as the sound of approaching footsteps made their eyes widen. Knowing that if they were caught awake now, it could lead to a horrid fate.

Letting her head hang downward, Erza's long, flowing hair covered her eyes and face as Mira also went still and rested her head against her bosom. And not a moment too soon as a face appeared in the dirty window of the cooler.

"_Shit…their still passed out" _The male grumbled as he eyed their captured. His eyes scanned the room, but nothing seemed to be amiss as another voice called to him.

"_Don't worry about it right now. We'll have plenty of time tonight to break them in. After all, we got quite the haul from them"_

"_I guess your right. But if one isn't up in another hour, I'm shoving my dick into the black haired one even if Drake tried to call dibs. She's got some seriously large tits. Bet she's tight too"_

Turning away from the small, square window with a low chuckle, the man's footsteps faded as distant chatter and talking shifted through the air.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Mira slowly looked at Erza as their eyes locked.

"Yeah…we need to get out and kill these assholes" M.J. stated in a harsh whisper as Levy slowly lifted her head.

"Shit…I heard that. Hey Kagura, wake up" Levy said with a nudge.

Kagura's eyes fluttered open, her face a contortment of worry and pain.

"Wh..what happened?" she asked in a groan as she tried to move…and almost panicked at her almost nudity. Trying to cover herself, she quickly found her wrists bound to the pipe with Levy.

"They plan on raping us. And not in a good way" Levy told her friend who blinked at that…odd statement.

"_What would be good about that?"_

"Don't be loud…We only have one chance to escape" Natsumi warned as her head throbbed. Squinting her eyes, her skull felt like squirrels were throwing marbles at sharks…which was not pleasant at all.

"How long have you been awake?" Mira asked the nearby woman.

"Just a few minutes before you…" the pinkette stated as she looked at the others. "So? Any idea how to escape?"

"Like you even need to ask?" Mira smirked as she used her free hand to pull the hairpin from her ponytail. _"Or my emergency lockpicks as I like to call them"_

Her white locks flowed downward past her shoulders, a beautiful sight despite her eyebrow scar. Holding the picks in her right hand, she went straight to work on the handcuffs.

"I have to ask…why the hell did they leave your right hand free?" Kagura inquired in a quiet tone as Mira shrugged.

"Who knows? Distraction? Lazy stupidity? Forgetfulness? Either way, its…yup. Got it" the mage smirked as the lock slipped and the handcuff came free. Shaking her hand, Mira quickly moved onto Natsumi's cuffs.

"Heh…and you said learning to pick locks was stupid" Levy teased with a light whisper.

"That's because you would only teach us when you were stupidly drunk and spewing nonsense" Erza stated evenly as Levy shrugged.

"It worked, didn't it?"

Sighing as Natsumi was freed, Kagura watched as the scarred pinkette crouched and moved over on padded feet. Scars covered her body…more than the swordswoman could count as the pinkette started on the rope bindings to free herself and Levy.

"You know Erza…If this was at home with Natsu, it would almost be hot" Mira teased with a light joke as she started to loosen the rope.

"Concentrate on not being a pervert please"

"_Like your one to talk miss always having threesomes" _Levy, Mira, and Kagura thought at once.

A minute later, all the females had gotten loose as Erza moved toward the dirty window. Peering out, she saw a deserted kitchen. Trying to gaze out into the diner, she slightly jumped as shouting and yelling came from the gathered men past the counter. There were eight of them…all carrying pistols or rifles as Erza ducked down and pressed her ear to the cool metal.

"_Alright boys! We got ourselves a small horde on our hands! Close to forty of those rotting shit-bags are marching down the road toward our little haven! Now…we could let them pass us by, but I am not willing to risk those damn empties hearing us and banging on our walls! Especially when we'll be in the middle of enjoying our sleeping friends!"_

"_Who's getting first dibs, Harvey?" _

"_Well Jeb, that redhead is mine. But the rest? You men can fuck them all night long. Obviously, we'll pass them around in the coming days as we train them into cock sucking fuck dolls, but for now—"_

Raucous laughter shifted past the rubberized seals of the cooler, making the women stir.

"What are they laughing about?" Natsumi asked in a whisper as she leaned forward. A long scar crossed over her large breasts…an obvious sign of more torture she had endured as they seemed to spill from the bra.

"About how they're going to rape us tonight…and how we'll become their cock-slaves" Erza whispered back as she pressed her ear to the door again. Frankly…she's heard it so much now that it didn't even disturb her or the others. Except when the criminals could actually do something about…such as here.

The fact they undressed them all made her clench a fist in anger. Scarlet and the other women could only imagine the wandering hands that no doubt caressed their curves. _"My body is only for Natsu! Not these…pigs…"_ the knight thought as she tried to listen some more.

Distant snarls and moans could be heard as their captors checked their weapons and ammunition.

"_Dabbi. You stay here and keep an eye on those women. If they wake up, give them food or something. Can't have the dying of thirst now. We'll take care of the dead"_

Multiple footsteps squeaked and clomped against the dirty tile as a door was swung open moments later.

Raising her eyes to the window, Scarlet studied the now lone man standing in the diner as he turned away from them all. Walking along the counter, he started to head toward the kitchen as the first 'pops' of gunfire rang the winter air.

"Shit!" Erza hissed out as she looked at the others. Spotting the rope that had bound her earlier, the knight grabbed it as she hugged the wall near the door.

"Get ready, girls…" she whispered as the woman stretched the rope between her wrists. The others tried to find a good position…but there wasn't any place to hide as the middle eastern hillbilly's face appeared in the glass.

"The fuck!? How did you get free you bitches!?" the man shouted as he grabbed the handle. Yanking it open, he didn't have time to raise his gun as Mira and Levy tackled him in the midsection. A loud expulsion of air sounded from his fall as the two women held down his arms, their faces full of fury.

"GET HIS GUN!" Levy shouted as the man growled…then managed to throw the smaller woman off his right arm. A rapid jab connected with Mira's jaw, splitting her lip as the man bucked.

New pain raged across her face, but still the Strauss woman held on as he punched her again against the cheek. It would later swell and bruise as Kagura scrambled for the pistol nearby.

"BITCH! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Dabbi roared out as he tried to punch Mira a third time…but was stopped by a swift kick to the head.

"You think you assholes had a chance!? Your all fucking dead!" Levy shouted in fury as she kicked again at his temple. Luckily for them all the sound of gunfire concealed the struggle as Erza sprang forward. Gripping the rope, the red-head was rapid in wrapping it around his neck…then pulling it tight.

"DIE!" she uttered with hateful intent as the man pawed and tried to break free from the strangulation.

"Tch! I've met trash like you before…" Natsumi glowered as she raised her bare foot…and stomped it on his windpipe. It was crushed with a disturbing '_crack!_' as his eyes bulged and face started to turn blue from the lack of oxygen.

"Quick. Get him outside before he dies and comes back" the pinkette ordered as she grabbed his shoulders and started to lift his mass.

"What?" Kagura asked in surprise as she opened the back door nearby. It swung open on rusting hinges, letting in a blast of cold air as the gunfire grew louder.

"Doesn't matter how you die here. You die. You come back as one of them. Seen it happen" Natsumi informed the group as they manhandled the dying man onto the pavement near a dumpster overflowing with garbage. Dropping the body, she and the others quickly moved back inside and shut it with haste.

As for Dabbi…he took his last, strained breath as his brown eyes glazed over with flecks of snow falling on his flannel shirt. But…that didn't last long as his hands twitched. Letting out a rasping groan from its ruined throat, the now deceased man rose to his feet. Shuffling forward, it was immediately attracted to the gunfire around the building as hunger consumed it's every thought…

Moving along the dirty kitchen, Levy crouched low as her bare feet padded the cold tile. Coming near the narrow doorway that led to the restaurant proper, she peered around the corner at the parking lot outside.

The scavengers were still there, firing off pistol and rifle rounds into the gathered horde outside as shouts rose above the snarls of hunger. It was safe to assume they were busy.

Swinging around the pathway, the females soon found their belongings spread over several tables. Not only their armor and clothing, but their weapons as well. Of course, their scavenged supplies of canned food, water, gas, ammunition, and spare firearms had been stacked near the countertop as Mira grabbed her pants. The arrogance of these bastards to take their things…to stack them near their own supplies like it all belonged to them? It pissed her off.

"No dicking around. Get suited up and armed…then we'll get our payback" she ordered while stepping into the combat pants and pulling them up her slender legs. Her face still hurt…cried with pain from glass cuts and that captor, but she would live for now as the others did the same. It barely took a minute for them to dress themselves and armor up as the Gear's retrieved their firearms.

"Ahh…there we go. My precious…" Levy whispered like some crazed hobbit as she enclosed the wrist mounted portal device around her left arm. Sensing a pair of eyes looking at her, Levy turned to Natsumi.

"What?"

"You're really fucking weird…"

"Well…you have big tits"

"That…is true"

"Ladies? Grab a window and make sure the safety's off. The firing is dying down" Erza instructed as she attached 'Strawberry' to the magnetized back plate on her armor. Cradling her rifle, she sprinted toward a window with Kagura as her boots thudded across the tile. Ducking low, she peered out at the parking lot...just as the zombified Dabbi staggered around the corner of the building.

A few of them men were still firing, but in seconds they would spot their dead comrade.

"Erza? Do we kill them right away?" kagura inquired as she doubled checked her weapon. Huddled behind an upholstered seat, she was distinctly aware of dried…red covering the dingy, white material.

"Wound them…these…creatures will know suffering at our hands for what they planned. A quick death is too easy"

"Your going to use your bat…aren't you?"

"Is that a problem?"

Casting a glance to the parking lot as men shouted, Kagura shook her head. "No. They have no honor and will be treated as such"

"_How!? How is Dabbi dead? He was just watc—THE WOMEN! WE NEED TO SECURE THEM BEFORE THEY ESCAPE!" _the leader shouted out as he shot Dabbi in the head near a rusting Sedan. Bits of bone flew across the snowy lot, spraying a cone of red on the light snow as the men started to run back from the diner.

"God these guys are fucking stupid…" Levy muttered while pressing her LMG to her shoulder. Squeezing the trigger, the weapon barked and spat flame as the scientist targeted the man known as Jeb. He screamed, clutching his leg in the middle of the lot as the spent brass flew past Natsumi.

"Whatever…" the pinkette muttered as she fired her pistol from cover nearby as the five women started to enact a toll of gunfire among the males…

Negan whistled as the large truck barreled down the road, the tune a jaunty one from the old world as the driver kept his silence.

"Man! You can barely tell the world went to shit out here! Look at all that nature out there!" the leader of the Saviors smirked as the other followers in the truck gave their own rumblings of assent. Looking back at them, Negan rested Lucille on his lap as he stared out the back window.

Two more trucks were following them, also loaded down with guards for the find they had taken in Greensboro. A tanker truck…filled to eighty percent capacity as it rumbled and jounced along the winding band of concrete behind them.

"Jeff man…as your leader. You did one the Saviors one hell of solid finding that liquid gold. So much in fact that I'm gonna upgrade your sleeping arrangement! A full, private room all to yourself and a full case of beer. Now how does that sound?"

"That sounds great Negan. Thank you" the man from the back replied as the leader grinned.

"Yeah. You did damn fine with that shit"

'_**Pop! POP!POP!POP! TATTATAT!'**_

"Boss?" The driver inquired as the distinct sound of weapons fire came from around the bend in the road. Following the span of pavement, the Savior convoy quickly saw the walled encampment around the diner as a mass of corpses littered the front gate. An abandoned police car sat nearby, the drivers side buckled in from an impact as the doors were flung open.

"Oh shit…sounds like somebody is throwing a party! But…they didn't invite us. Now…that's just fucking rude" Negan stated as he pointed toward the shoulder of the road.

The driver nodded, following the warlord's instructions as the convoy started to slow with a rumbling of brakes. Pulling up to the front gate a minute later, the Saviors halted as Negan stepped out with Lucille draped over his right shoulder. Walking with his signature swagger to the rolling gate, he was joined by nine men and three women with loaded firearms.

The crackling of gunfire was cut off abruptly as the male wearing his leather jacket tapped his foot. A few pleading screams and shouts were coming from inside the barrier, but were quickly silenced.

"God damn. Did these assholes just get eaten? Fuck it. Lacey? Mike? Get this door open for me. Just a crack mind you. I don't feel like having my face eaten off by a hundred corpses today. The rest of you keep an eye out for walkers" Negan ordered as the two Saviors ran up and started to manhandle the gate open.

Sliding it just a foot open as the wheels scraped and clacked over the old pavement, Negan nodded as he walked up to assess the situation.

"Now…lets see what the fuck is in here…"

The former captors were being lined up near the entrance to the diner as they moaned and gasped from the accurate gunfire they had taken. Some had taken rounds the legs…others the shoulders as the fresh wounds enacted horrific pain on the raiders. Crouched on their knees, each man had been relieved of all weapons and firearms as Levy, Mira, Kagura, and Natsumi stood guard all around them with hard glares.

"Please! We…we didn't mean it!" a man cried as tears ran down his cheeks. He had been shot in the side, the bullets passage bleeding down his flank as the scarred pinkette stomped forward.

"Stop whining!" Natsumi shouted as she kicked Justin Beiber in the side, her brown and scuffed boot went crashing against his fresh gunshot wound.

"Gahhh!" the former pop star cried out as he fell to the pavement. Writhing in agony, the little shit trembled from frayed nerves.

"Pick that trash up" Erza ordered as she walked along the line of prisoners, Strawberry cocked over her right shoulder as the barb wire and construction nails adorning the metal bat glistened. Taking another step as Natsumi yanked the man to his knees once more, Erza paused as she looked at these…men.

Unaware of her group being watched from outside the perimeter, the knight glanced down at the middle man with a cold fury.

"Now…what should we do with you assholes?"

"Le…let us go? We…we promise…we promise to leave…leave you alone" Harvey gasped out as his shattered shoulder throbbed and screamed like fire. The bone was broken…an issue that would need surgery in the old world. Now…now it could be a death sentence.

Feeling the bat underneath his chin, the former leader looked up into the eyes of the woman….and pissed himself.

"Fucking Christ…You can't even hold your bladder. All tough when you hold the cards, but as soon as the tables turn you piss yourself"

"Shit Erza. I can smell it from here" Mira added in as she stood behind the group with her lancer held tightly. Her split lip had stopped bleeding, but the bruising marred her beautiful features as she kept a keen eye on the men.

"Hey Kagura? What do you think we should do with them?"

"Kill them. They planned to rape and defile us. They robbed us and took everything we need to survive here"

"How about a contest? Last one standing gets to live?" Levy suggested as she stood behind Erza in support. A light snow was falling, kissing the pavement and starting to collect on the large, military truck used before as Scarlet nodded.

"Yeah…yeah I like the sound of that" the soldier commented as she spun her bat with a flourish and pointed to a raider on the left.

"You see…What you did to us…what you planned on doing to our bodies? That made my friend Strawberry upset and hungry" she informed them all as she walked back down the line, her boots crunching light snow. Her stance was menacing…full of anger as the soldier walked back and forth.

"When Strawberry gets hungry…she gets thirsty. And really…you beasts are the only ones that can satisfy her" Erza grinned as she pointed the bat at the still sniffling Justin Bieber.

"Ennie"

Her arm shifted toward Jeb as his face paled with fear.

"Menie"

Harvey was next, his eyes wide with dread as the deadly, metal bat pointed at him.

"Miny"

Erza continued, each word giving a fresh target as she moved up and down the line with sinister ease as the child's song soon came to an end.

"And"

"You"

"Are"

"It"

"OH GOD! PLEASE NO!" Justin Bieber cried out as Scarlet wound up and raised Strawberry. The freezing air hissed with the passage weapon as the long nails and barb wire smashed against the former musician's head.

'_**CRACK!'**_

The man crumpled to the pavement, part of the skull already bleeding as he gasped for life.

"GOD DAMN! DOWN IN ONE BLOW LIKE A CRYING BITCH!" She screamed out as the fury of her capture fueled her emotions. Swinging again, Strawberry embedded in the skull as gore splattered the ground. A few specks flew against her cheek and chin, warming the skin as her chest heaved from exertion.

Raising her metal companion, speckles of blood dripped from the tip as tufts of brown hair were snagged in the barb wire.

"You…YOU BITCH!" Harvey yelled out as he jumped to his feet and tried to take a swing at the bat wielding female.

She dodged easily as the wounded man gasped with pain….and found Levy jabbing her bayoneted L.M.G into his stomach.

"U…Urk…"

Blood spilled from Harvey's mouth as the shorter woman glared…then ripped the blade upward. His chest opened up, spilling warm intestines onto the ground as the short scientist scowled. He fell off her blade as his body landed face down in the snow. Strands of intestine littered the ground around him, the digestive tract beyond ruined as steam rose from the innards.

"Fucking asshole" she muttered as the dying man gurgled and choked. Raising a boot, Levy crushed his head with a well deserved execution as pink matter spattered the military wear.

"FUCK! YOU ASSHOLES JUST SCREWED UP MY RYHTYM!" Erza shouted with anger as she pointed toward another man as her voice lowered.

"That was not cool…you should know better than to interrupt a lady. Taking a large swing, Strawberry hissed through the falling snow before connecting with Jerry's head. The man barely had time to cry out as a piece of his skull went flying across the parking lot.

Fresh gore splattered against Jeb, the man letting out a small scream as the ichor dripped down his cheeks from the nearby kill…then he heard it…clapping.

"GOD DAMN! You got some distance on that one!" Negan said with a wide grin as he strode across the parking lot with his followers.

Striding up to the women, the male paused as four of the women snapped up their weapons and trained it on him.

"Don't move!" Natsumi commanded as one of her scars itched. Pointing it the man with the bat, he paused while raising his hands with a grin on his face.

"Whoa! Easy ladies! I just want to talk. But…pointing your guns at me makes me…uncomfortable. And trust me, you don't want that" His voice darkened as his group spread out and kept their weapons lowered for now.

"Natsumi…everybody. Cool it. If they wanted a fight, they wouldn't have exposed themselves like this" Erza told her friends as she walked forward, Strawberry over her shoulder once more as she approached the leather jacket man. "Isn't that right…Negan"

"Damn! My reputation precedes me" the leader of the Saviors grinned out as he gave a flourishing bow. Standing up, he eyed the red head before him and her group.

"_Definitely military here…with really odd fucking hair"_ Negan thought quickly as his eyes traced the armed women.

"So…you seem to know me, but I don't know you"

"Erza Scarlet"

"Uh huh…and that sexy friend on your shoulder?"

"Strawberry" Erza replied as she showed the weapon. Rubbing a hand along his growing beard, Negan smirked as he showed off his own…special lady.

"Lucille right here. But she's sleeping"

Staring into each others eyes, both could feel that they were facing an Alpha human.

"You know…I have to say you have some fucking style. The way you swung that friend of yours…fucking priceless! And the song? Sent chills down my spine to my toes"

"PLEASE! HELP US!" One of the remaining four cried out…before he was kicked over by Mira. He landed hard, the white haired soldier standing on his back before she revved up her chainsaw.

"We fucking warned you, trash!" Strauss added in cold fury before plunging the spinning teeth into his back.

"AAAAAUUUUGHHHHH!" the blonde haired man uttered in sheer agony as his insides were literally ripped apart. Blood and viscera spattered, flying as bone chunks snapped and shattered. Gore covered her legs, staining the combat pants red as the execution ceased.

Stomping on his head for good measure, Mira looked up as Negan let out a low whistle.

"Fuck! That was just fucking horrific hahaha!"

Turning toward Erza, the man grinned as the three remaining men on their knees shivered.

"You gotta spill. What did these assholes do to you? Cause that-" he pointed toward the fresh corpse "Was fucking gnarly"

"They ambushed us, stole all our stuff, captured us and planned to rape us until our minds broke"

"Well shit…that just ain't right at all! I mean…fuck! I know the world fucking went to shit, but that's no excuse to treat a woman like that. That's something my dad ta-"

"Negan man? Are we gonna take half of these bitches shit? Or—"

"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking" Negan pointed at the man with an angry look as a scowl gripped his face.

The man fell silent, his eyes wide as their leader turned back to the women with a grin.

"And no…these ladies have some…FUCKING STYLE! A rare find these days! And they put on one hell of a show! So I'm gonna make them an offer"

"Yeah? What is it?" Natsumi asked cautiously.

"You ladies join the Saviors! You do that…and nobody will fuck with you! But think carefully…If you were some candy-ass pussies, I would have taken half your shit. This is a once in a life-time deal and a good one. A deal I've given to only one other group since the fall"

Erza stroked her chin as she contemplated it. _"It would be nice to have a base of operations until we leave this universe…"_

"Give me a few minutes to discuss it with the others"

"You have three"

Nodding, Scarlet walked back to her friends as they grouped together to discuss it.

"What do you think?"

"I don't trust him" Kagura stated immediately as she gripped her lancer.

"So what? You want to just keep driving down the road, scavenging for food and scraps while the dead hunt you down day after day?" Natsumi replied as her dirty hair hung past her shoulders.

"Listen…we know what he is capable of. But are we any worse? I for one would rather be in a solid location than moving day to day" Levy added in support of joining as Mira nodded.

"It can't be any worse than out here…but we need to make some concessions with him. Kagura? Are you on board or not?" the bruised take-over mage asked as her split lip swelled along with her fresh bruises.

Letting out a tired sigh, the mermaid mage really didn't have much of a choice. "Fine, but if things go bad, it's all your fault"

"Good" Mira tried to grin as her mouth and jaw flared. Separating herself from the group, she approached Negan and the Saviors.

"Well? Don't keep me in suspense"

"Our group will come with you…on three conditions" Mira stated as her jawline flared from talking.

"Oh? Conditions? Now this I have to hear!" Negan chuckled as he stared to woman down…and she stared back with an unflinching gaze.

"Oh yeah…you're a fucking badass too. Alright, let's hear them" he waved impatiently.

"One. Any of your men try to force us or stick their dicks in any of us, We will fucking kill them. Nobody invades this temple and lives"

"My men won't. They know the price of disobedience"

"Two. We are taking that military truck since those assholes ruined our car. It will be ours"

Rubbing his chin…Negan nodded after a few moments. "Fine. But only because we don't have room in our vehicles"

Nodding, the visibly marred female pointed toward the diner. "We are taking all our stuff back which Levy inventoried yesterday before we left Dunkard. All the shit these raiders had…is yours"

"Well well…not too shabby then. Alright, deal" Negan assented as he extended his hand. Taking it, Mira gave a light squeeze back.

"Alright Saviors! There is some free shit in that diner just for us! Get it loaded up!" Negan commanded as he glanced back to Mira and the other women.

"What do you plan on doing with your friends there?" the man pointed with Lucille at the three wounded survivors as they continued to bleed and groan.

"Kill them for all I care" Mira glared with unflinching eyes.

"Damn…you are ice cold hehehe" Negan chuckled as some of his men brought in their trucks to load up with more supplies.

"Come on Natsumi. Let's get our stuff back" Levy grinned as the women moved into the diner to reclaim all their belongings.

An hour later Erza climbed behind the wheel of the large, military grade transport loaded down with their retrieved weapons, food, and other supplies. Hitting the starter, the truck rumbled to life as Kagura opened the door and climbed through the passenger side.

Turning the heater on, Kagura gave a light shiver as darkness fell outside.

"Hope this is the right call, Erza…"

"Me too"

Looking back, she glanced at Mira who was looking out as Negan's men loaded up the last of their own findings…and the three wounded men. What fate awaited them, M.J. couldn't contemplate as Levy took up the middle.

"Man…what a shitty fucking day. Almost as bad as that time with the meat suit…or when I over cooked some rats"

"What?" Natsumi asked in stupefied disbelief.

"I overcooked my rat meal once…ruined the whole thing!" Levy ranted as the truck started to ease forward.

"_WHAT SANE WOMAN WOULD EAT RAT!? AND WHAT ABOUT A MEAT SUIT!?" _the scarred and brutalized survivor thought in horror as she wiped a hand through dirty and gritty hair.

"I might have another mental break from you…" the torture victim said heavily as she thought of her now dead friends and family. It made her heart break…break that she might never see those faces ever again. But…just being near Erza, Mira, Levy, and Kagura again. Even for just a few hours was almost…healing to her damaged psyche.

"Ignore her. Levy is borderline insane and will invent crap just to spite somebody" Erza informed the fire mage as she flicked on the headlights…and pulled behind the Savior convoy onto the abandoned roadway.

Headlights washed past them, lighting up the interior as a large tanker truck pulled up behind them. They were bracketed already, most likely under Negan's orders as Natsumi looked out the window at the darkness. A few staggering undead emerged from the woods, no doubt drawn from the battle earlier as Negan's truck turned right at the nearby intersection.

Snow swirled around the beams of light as they passed over a few more wandering dead, but the women ignored them as they drove with the Saviors into the winter night of West Virginia…

**Wow! Didn't expect to be done with this one already! Granted…it's less then 8k, but I'm aiming for 8-10k on every chapter now. **

**Now…what did you think of Negan? I know in the show, he probably would've taken their stuff, but despite his brutality, Negan is a man of his word…and I'd say seeing some women do that to their captors gained his respect. But, I could be wrong and you all hate it haha.**

**Anyway, the next chapter will see the Walking Dead tie up an the girls shift on. But don't worry, the next one will have actual zombie killing!**

**So Read! Review! Enjoy!**

**Negan: Hot damn! Remind me to never piss you ladies off! Fucking terrifying…but then what woman isn't?**

**Natsumi: We can hear you**

**Negan: Now now sweet thang…no worries**

**Kagura: That's sexist…**

**Negan: My bad ladies! Damn…I should have a killing contest with Erza…**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	6. Fighting the Dead

**Well! Here I am with a new chapter! Last time the girls dealt with some raiders, killed most of them, then joined up with Negan! This one will have more zombie kills and the ladies 'shifting' onward.**

**Now to address something. I enjoy reviews. It makes me feel good that people are enjoying what I write. And constructive criticism is welcome too. If I accidentally created a loophole or wrote the same sentence twice, or some other issue that effects the story, let me know and I'll try better. But if you feel compelled to call my story 'Trash' like 'Dickwadd' did…that's his actual name on here, you will get blocked. I work 10-12 hours everyday at my job, and still take time out of my exhausting week to write these stories and chapters which can take a good two weeks for each update. So if you don't like what I write, please just move on instead of being a fucking, asshat loser that insults others work.**

**That being said, I do hope you all still enjoy this!**

**I still don't own any media…**

**Chapter 6: Fighting the dead**

* * *

The sun broke over the snow covered landscape as the convoy of vehicles raced down the freeway toward the saviors main base in the distance. Wrecks had been pushed aside toward the railing, their use long gone as they had been stripped of spare parts, fuel, and anything valuable long ago. A few walking dead had become ensnared within the small congestion, their outstretched arms beckoning to the passing vehicles as they rumbled past.

A building of white concrete that stood several stories tall in the distance, it dominated the surrounding landscape as Negan smiled.

"Ah…home sweet home" he murmured as the trucks rapidly approached the entranceway. Looking out the window, he smirked at all the chained up and bayoneted corpses that surrounded his stronghold. Hundreds of the decaying bodies swayed and snarled, their eyes locking onto the humans as they tried in vain to approach…but ultimately failed as they struggled in place.

Pulling into a slow stop to the side of the building past the defenses of undead, spikes and chain link fencing, Negan felt the truck stop as he stretched. Grasping the door handle, he pushed it open as a chilling breeze blew. Stepping down, the leather clad man let out a shiver.

"Woo! That is brisk!"

Looking at the saviors as they exited the vehicle, he pointed to one as the large tanker rumbled past, its contents heading toward the back.

"Go get Johnny and some of his crew. Tell them to get their asses out here to unload and inventory this shit. And have Doc Mitchell patch up those sad sacks of crap our new friends found for us. Just enough so they don't die…then put them to work as bait. After that, you can all knock off for the day and rest up" Negan ordered the foot soldier.

"Right boss. Right away"

The man headed away, eager to complete the small task so he could rest after hours on the road. Forgetting about the underling as the light snow swirled among the chilling breeze, Negan walked over to the now parked military truck as the women started to step out and stretch. Spotting Erza as she walked around the vehicle to join her group, Negan studied them all once more.

"_Sexy and strong. No way they'd work as my wives though…which is a shame" _Shaking his head at the mild thought, he extended his arms in a showman's manner.

"Ladies! Welcome to your new home! We have food! Running water and electricity! We even have a doctor and a workshop! So how about the grand tour?"

"Actually…we're very tired from the drive and dealing with those assholes from yesterday" Kagura started to say as Negan's smile started to fade.

Lowering his arms, he raised a finger at the woman.

"Now…I just invited you into my home and it sounded like your being rude and not taking my generous offer. And after I let you keep your weapons…which I'll be honest, makes me fucking nervous. But I put that aside since your fucking badasses. …Don't let my image of you five change"

The tone was clear to all…this was a warning not to cross this man.

"A tour sounds fucking awesome!? And did you say a workshop?" Levy asked as she stepped up, her blue hair fluttering in the wind as cold bit at her scar.

The situation was diffused immediately as Negan gained a new grin.

"Ohh…somebody sounds excited! Are you a mechanic?"

"Scientist actually…and engineer…and inventor" Mcgarden smirked as Negan nodded.

"Well damn, you'll have to show me later. But tell me, what the fuck is that on your arm?' Negan pointed toward the wrist mounted device as the screen and buttons sat in 'low power' mode.

"You wouldn't believe us even if we told you"

Mira interjected as her bruised cheek and swelled lip stung. It ached and twitched, but there was nothing she could do about it as Negan glanced her way.

"Mira…the dead walk the earth. Something that would have been thought impossible just a few years ago. Trust me on this, this world is fucking crazy so whatever story you have, I'm sure I've heard it"

Erza gave a slow nod, her eyes catching a new group of men emerging from the former factory as they hurried to the trucks. They passed Negan, giving a nod of respect that she recognized. Casting her gaze around, she observed several armed guards patrolling the interior perimeter along the fencing as groaning dead tried to break free. And…some poor souls on the other side wearing nothing but flimsy clothing with 'A's' on them. The dead tried to break free…to eat these prisoners, and the redhead realized things could have gone much worse for them all.

"_They respect him…and fear him just like Natsu. This is a warlord and we need to be cautious"_

"If you'll hear our story, I'll relay it to you…after the tour. After all, you are showing us hospitality" Scarlet said simply as she rested a hand on Kagura's shoulder.

"That's what I like to hear. Now follow me" Negan waved as he rested Lucille on his shoulder. Walking away toward a nearby door, a small whistle escaped his lips as Natsumi stepped first.

"I don't know about you four, but I haven't showered in months…that alone makes it worthwhile" The pinkette reasoned as she followed the man…and was quickly joined by the four female soldiers…

**Three hours later…**

The tour had been surprisingly pleasant by Negan, the bat wielding male showing respectful courtesy to the five as they toured the collective community, the work shops, and other areas of the factory. He even set aside a single room for them as other survivors moved and completed tasks to keep the enclave of humans supplied and safe.

Negan's wives had been introduced, which really didn't bother Erza, Mira, or Levy considering their own relationship with Natsu…wherever he may be.

Of course, this was just the first step as they followed him into his office. It was decorated somewhat, but obviously lacked the touch of a woman as a rack of guns sat near the corner by the dirty window. A large map of West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland was tacked to the left wall near the gun rack. A smaller one of the area was on the desk as numerous circles and red X's marked the geography and towns. The desk itself and lamps weren't fancy, mainly utilitarian in purpose as he sat down in a plush, leather chair. Resting Lucille on the desk within easy reach, the Savior leader beckoned the women to tell their tale with a grin…and tell their story they did.

For almost two hours the five spoke, adding in their own tidbits of their lives as Negan sat patiently with his hands resting behind his head. Finally, the tale ended with Natsumi as her various scars seemed to catch the light.

Letting out a low whistle, Negan leaned forward as he stroked the stubble of his growing beard.

"Now that…that is one hell of a story. Alien worlds, genocidal monsters and giant worms! Dragons and flying cats! Hell, you claim that I'm an actor named Jeffery Dean Morgan on another fucked up ball like this one! And you…" He pointed to the dragon slayer with a grin. "You've had some nasty…Nasty fucking shit happen to you! It almost brings a tear to my eye" the male finished with a chuckle as Levy stepped forward.

"Listen. I don't give two fucks if you believe us or—"

Negan raised a palm, his face going serious as he interrupted the shorter female.

"Now…I never said that. Frankly, if even a quarter of this shit is true, you ladies are fucking dangerous. I mean…you fought with the German's and altered the course of world war one. And these locust things you tell me about? Fuck…that sounds worse than the dead outside" He waved toward the window before looking back at the women.

"I frankly don't care where you're from. So long as you don't cross me, we're fucking square"

"Well then. For the next…" Levy brought up her wrist mounted machine, her fingers bringing up a fresh display as the numbers continued to count down. "Three weeks, five days and seventeen hours, you'll have us. After that, if my theory is correct, we will shift away to another reality"

"Damn…that sounds like some high level sci-fi shit" Negan added as he stood up and stared out the window at the winter outside. Clasping his hands behind his back, the male stood silent for a moment.

"Almost everybody here…I forced them to follow me out of fear. I take half their shit. Food, medicine, ammo…whatever they have. Sometimes I kill some of them to get the point across that the Saviors are in fucking in charge. Of course, they then need to go and find more for the Saviors…they have to fucking earn for me"

He paused, taking a breath for a moment.

"Only Alexandria led by Rick Grimes stands as my equal. He has the numbers, farmland, and the guns to make me back down…fucking tenacious bastard. And his kid…god damn! Scary dude. Got shot in the head and lost an eye…fucking gruesome" Negan chuckled as Natsumi shifted.

"So…what? You want us to attack them?" Erza asked as she crossed her arms. Turning to face her, the man shook his head.

"No. We have an understanding with each other. A border if you will. No…you ladies will be bringing me stuff. Whatever you can find. You do that, you get a warm bed, food, and fresh water" Picking up Lucille, he ran his hand along the wooden shaft.

"You ladies are fucking badass. You were fucking merciless dealing with those shits. I like that. That's why I haven't put you on kitchen duty or counting bullets in the armory. Your obvious skills would be wasted on that" He paused before swinging the bat through the air. It hissed over the desk, a good foot from the women as they snatched up their sidearms in a brief eye-blink.

"Careful. I would hate to ruin my chance for a fresh shower…" Natsumi glared, her finger resting on the trigger as the rest did the same. Peering down the berretta as the silencer loomed like blackness, the woman ignored the throbbing of her old scars as Negan smiled.

"That! That right there! My men would never point their shit at me! Never! But you ladies…are refreshing from all these yes-men. None of them have the…FUCKING BALLS to even think of doing what your doing! And that's why you're my fucking favorite right now!"

Lowering Lucille, Negan pointed toward a circle on the map.

"This is the city of Bethesda. My men haven't been there yet…that's where you will be going tomorrow. You find me some good shit, you enjoy my kindness. If you don't or try to run…well, I would hate for you to disappoint me like the last group did. Especially after I gave them a second chance"

"What did you do to them?" Kagura asked as she tried to read the map. Frankly…the whole world was formed differently and made no sense to her.

"Three of them got killed for following stupid orders. Their…'leader' fucked up bad and got the iron. You might even see Donnie around, but his tasks are cleaning toilets now"

Chuckling lightly, Negan was slightly surprised as Levy walked around the desk and studied the map of roads and towns.

"So basically we have to go find you shit for the next three weeks and bring it back in a timely manner?" Levy asked.

"Simple right? I don't know why people have such a hard time understanding that"

"Most people are stupid. Not us though" Levy smiled back as Negan straightened up. His face changed, showing the meeting was over as he walked toward the doorway.

"Go and rest. Tomorrow is a big day for you all. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna fuck one of my wives… God damn I love saying that!" he stated as his footsteps faded down the hall with a confident swagger.

"Well…you heard him. Supply run for tomorrow" Mira shrugged as Kagura sighed.

"I can't believe we're being ordered around by this man…"

"It's better than sleeping in a car trunk. Or watching Laxus get disemboweled before my very eyes…" Natsumi wavered for a moment…then shook her head as the nightmarish memory. Walking past the others, she headed toward their temporary quarters with the intent of washing off weeks of grime, sweat, and dirt.

"We just have to get through a few weeks. Plus, at least those rotting corpses don't carry guns" Erza concluded as she rubbed her tired eyes. Driving all night had been exhausting and she was finally feeling it. Yawning, she followed Natsumi as warm bedding beckoned…

**The next morning. 7:00 a.m.**

The five women were fully rested and revitalized as another light snow fell from the sky of clouds above. It dusted the land, blanketing everything as their large truck rumbled along the wide road toward Bethesda with the heater pushing warm air on the passengers.

Erza and Mira had risen extra early, taking it upon themselves to store most of their supplies in their temporary quarters. Obviously they still were taking some food, fuel, and some spare ammunition just in case, but none of them needed an extra dozen pistols or rifles taking up room.

"What do you think we'll find?" Kagura asked as she sat in the back with Natsumi and Levy. Encased in her full armor, the swordswoman fully hoped this would be easy.

"Probably lots of dead people and scare supplies. That's how it always is" Natsumi added with a tired reply before looking past Levy to her right.

Another snarl of wrecked cars and trucks took up the left side of the freeway, almost blocking the road as some of the wrecks had obviously burned long ago. Spotting movement in one as Mira eased the military truck onto the shoulder, Natsumi watched the skeletal remains of a person still strapped into a car grasp and extend burnt fingers.

It was no threat to them as the truck bumped, running over a few dead bodies in the road as Mira drove on.

"Makes sense Natsumi. Looters and desperate people will have been taking whatever they could in the early days, but as more died some would be overlooked. I suggest warehouses or large stores for where we should look" Levy input as she fiddled with her P-IVD. The screen lit up her face, making the scars of the nearby women more prominent as Mira kept her eyes on the road.

Driving in mostly silence as the heater continued to blast warm air on them, the truck rumbled down the Capital Beltway as Erza looked out her window toward the desolate suburbs of what had once been this nation's capital. Peering her eyes into the swirling snow, the knight thought she saw a white obelisk in the distance past the buildings, but she wasn't sure.

"Must've been nice to visit…" the woman muttered as she took the map from the glove box and unfolded it. Feeling the rumble of tires change as they moved onto a bridge over a long and snaking river, the woman finally turned away from the desolate city.

"Yeah. Hey, look for an exit" Mira asked as she weaved around an overturned police car on the bridge. There were a few other abandoned cars about….and some dead corpses walking as they turned to the noise. The first corpse started to stagger and weave toward the large truck, the tattered remains of a policeman's uniform covering the decayed flesh.

Mira ran him over. The body practically flung under the wheels like a ragdoll as she weaved past more of the dead who gasped and strained in an effort to reach them.

"There should be an exit on the other side of this…bridge" Erza started to say, but paused as the offramp in question came into sight. A horrendous pile-up of tangled cars and trucks completely blocked the concrete pathway with the light snow covering the crumpled metal of family cars and shattered glass.

Slowing down past the offramp, Mira tried to peer past…and cringed. Hundreds of the undead were at the far end at the base of the ramp on the avenue below, clawing and beating at an overturned bus that was obviously devoid of life. They weren't making any progress at all…just the dead trying to go forth into a tangle of accidents.

"I'd say no on that shit. Next exit" Levy observed as Kagura looked at Natsumi.

"Do you know why they're just…staying there? Wouldn't it make sense to move on to try and find people?"

Feeling the truck pick up speed, Natsumi glanced at the swordswoman. Rubbing one of her many scars, the pinkette answered.

"Who the fuck knows, kagura? They could've heard something on the bridge, an old car alarm…anything to draw them. Then as more gather, the noise increased to attract more. I honestly don't care so long as they don't try to eat me"

"I guess" Kagura replied as Mira continued down the beltway past more wandering dead and abandoned wrecks on the road. More time passed in silence until Erza pointed at another exit from the freeway laden with snow.

"Mira. River Road would be the next exit. Take that one"

Nodding, the white haired mage eased the truck onto the exit. More scattered dead loitered on the road, their snarls missed by the woman's driving as they tried to grasp the military truck. A few were hit, their bodies dragged under the wheels as rotten gore splashed the undercarriage.

"Damn walkers…" Strauss muttered as they pulled onto another road. Slowing as there were more wrecks scattered about, she eased past them as homes and businesses lined the road. Intersections were tangled messes of carnage and trash as their driver kept them moving.

Then…a low long building of red brick and long windows came into view as more of the dead staggered toward the truck that disturbed them. A chain-link fence surrounded the property while a sign near the road proclaimed it as the 'Primary Day Elementary School' It sat on a space of green, obviously part of its landscape in the past.

"There! Let's check that school" Natsumi suggested as she pointed toward the building on their right.

"Looks promising. Might have some canned food and other supplies" Levy told Mira and the others.

"Alright…lets check it out" the bruised woman agreed as she turned down a side street. Cars lined the road…the owners most likely long dead as the transport soon turned onto the driveway of the school. It was short lived as an old, military checkpoint of sandbags and two humvee's covered the entranceway that was a sliding chain gate on rollers.

"Well shit…looks like they tried to make it an emergency shelter during the early days" Natsumi observed as her gaze darted around the parking lot.

The parking lot came into view as tents and buses were converted to shelters. A 'FEMA' trailer with the red-cross sat in the center as numerous cars and trucks sat in the lot. The building itself looked intact, but there was no way to tell its contents as Mira kept the brake on…and eyed the now dead soldiers walking toward them from the other side. Old bites covered one of their faces, the flaps of skin decayed and rancid as they grasped the gated fence and tried to work past the barrier with snarls of death. A few more were walking toward them across the enclosed landscape, their attire rotting from the elements.

Casting her gaze at the side-mirror, she could see a few more infecting coming up the driveway, but they still had a few minutes.

"Come on. Let's deal with these walkers and get the truck inside. I don't feel like dealing with the whole neighborhood" Scarlet commanded as she stepped out of the truck. Cold wind hit her face, stinging her cheeks as she unhooked 'Strawberry' from the magnetized plate of her armor.

"Dammit…was hoping to sit in the warmth" Levy admitted as she cast her gaze back down the road. Pointing her weapon downrange, she covered the small group of walkers as they limped their way closer. But for now, they were still a low threat.

"Kagura. Help me out with these bastards" Natsumi ordered as she stepped up to the rolling gate. Gripping her gooseneck crowbar, Natsumi lined up the long, thick shaft of steel with the closest walkers head. Stenched breath reached her nostrils as the former military man snarled, his rotten teeth trying to bite the fence.

'_**Crunch'**_

The weapon slid through one of the eye sockets with sickening ease, coming away with a coating a rancid gore as Kagura did the same with the other threat. The bodies slapped to the snow covered pavement as Natsumi gripped the fence.

"Hey, hurry up you two" Erza cautioned as a few more walkers started to limp toward them from the West. They were emerging from the narrow gaps between walk-up homes near the school, and could easily number a few dozen as their hungry gasps echoed through the winter air.

"Hnnng!" Kagura let out, her muscles tensing as she and Natsumi yanked and pulled the gate open. It squealed and hissed with rusting pain, the effects of time and weather horribly obvious as Mira drove the truck through the checkpoint.

"Shit…we have to deal with these too" the gravity mage lightly complained as another five shuffled toward them from the parking lot.

"Then let's deal with it" Natsumi simply said with a tired voice as she walked up to the closest. The clanking of the gate closing through Erza or Levy's efforts were ignored as the dragon slayer swung her crowbar and cracked the decaying skull of a woman. The bone split, releasing a fresh odor of decay as the body fell. The woman twitched, which was enough to warrant a follow through swing as the pinkette finished off the walker with a splatter of gore.

Snapping her gaze upward as her senses flared from danger, the scarred female took a step back as the remaining four walkers seemed to converge on her. They had clumped together, almost shoulder to shoulder as their rotten faces and bodies pressed toward the forward woman…even with the others nearby.

"Dammit!" she hissed out as she stepped back, her boots crunching the white snow. Beginning to pull her pistol free from the holster, she didn't even get a chance to aim as Kagura covered her.

'**Pfft'**

'**Pfft'**

'**Pfft'**

'**Pfft'**

Their skulls gained new holes as the silencer laden lancer destroyed their advance thanks to the accuracy of Mikazuchi. Lowering her weapon, she gave a nod to the scarred pinkette. "I got your back, don't worry"

"Yeah…thanks"

A clatter of rattling chain link fence made her turn once again, her hard eyes settling on the dozen or so walkers trying to get past as their fingers gripped the wire.

"Persistent fuckers…help me clear them. Their noise will just keep drawing more"

"You got it boss lady" Levy grinned as the shorter woman pulled a combat blade from a sheath near her left shoulder. Walking up, she immediately stabbed what had once been a fifteen year old boy in the head. Yanking her blade back with a pull and spurt of coagulated blood, she moved to the next as the other three started to kill the intruders.

"Too bad we can't kill them all like this" Erza said simply, her clasped fist gripping her combat blade as she yanked it back through the fencing. It scraped along the bone of the dead man, making her lightly cringe. But she ignored it as a few more of the dead wandered up and joined the tiny horde of corpses.

"That would be too easy, Erza. And with how my life has gone, that's already too much to ask for" Natsumi grunted as she stabbed a woman in the head with her crowbar. The skull cracked open, spilling some gray matter as the body dropped near many others.

A few more minutes passed, the women taking their time to kill each one through the fence. When the final one dropped thanks to Levy, there were easily two dozen of the infected left on the ground as Kagura stepped away.

Frozen air expelled from her mouth, the beautiful mermaid walking up to the truck as Mira rolled down the window.

"Mira, just pull up near the entrance. After that, help us clear the parking lot of any dead and we'll start our search out here before the school. Sound good?"

"Sure thing. Although not sure what we'll find out here. Who knows how long this stuff has been sitting in the elements of nature"

Shrugging her shoulders, the Gear turned toward Erza and Levy as the two women started to search the two humvee's for anything of use. Natsumi was covering them, keeping an out for any walkers that approached as she stood on the hood of one. A .50 caliber machine gun decorated the roof of that particular vehicle, the weapon still pointing toward the road as Levy flung one of the doors open.

"I'm gonna help Mira, you three stay safe"

"Sure thing. Don't get killed" Levy waved as she climbed inside after a quick check.

Shaking her head at the woman, Kagura turned and started to walk toward the parking lot with her lancer ready to kill.

Watching her friend walk away, Erza sighed as checked the interior of the left Humvee. It was mostly barren as empty casings littered the floor. No dead driver or bodies…no guns or supplies that she could see. Casting her gaze around, she climbed in with the hopes of finding something. Then her eyes caught something near the back among the shadows. A small crate.

"Hello…what do we have here?"

Crouching in a crab walk, Erza scuttled forward toward the object. Opening the lid, her eyes lit up. A full box of grenades beheld her sight as she smirked.

"Well well…your coming with me" She whispered as a low '**clang'** resonated from the cold outside. Senses spiked at the sound as she unholstered her boltok. Grabbing her find, Erza moved toward the open door with caution.

"Everything alright you two?"

"Yeah. Levy's just digging around the engine of one of these trucks here" Natsumi replied…then a mumbling curse. "Damn…more dead"

Climbing out a moment later with her find, Scarlet watched as Natsumi jumped down from her spot and headed toward a man that was inside the perimeter of the school. A quick stab through his eye socket finished the walker off as the scarred woman walked back to the duo with a scowl.

"Levy. We should hurry up and get with the others"

"Just a sec"

Studying the engine before her, the script mage reached a hand out and fiddled with something. Moving her hand, she tested something else as a look of concentration graced her features.

"You find anything in there" Erza asked her friend who gave an absent-minded nod.

"Two full boxes of .50 caliber ammunition for that gun up top…which is in surprisingly good condition considering it's been outside. A little cleaning and servicing and it should work. Guess that's military grade hardware for you" Levy answered as she moved to the drivers side and flung open the door. Sliding in, she hit the starter…and the engine wheezed.

"Damn!"

"What's wrong?" Natsumi asked as a few more dead came up to the fence and started to snarl at the humans. Giving a tired sigh, she walked up and dispatched them with her crowbar as Levy climbed out and shut the door with a loud 'thud'

"Battery's dead. If we can get a jump from our truck, we could probably drive this out of here"

"That will probably have to wait then until we leave. We should really check the school first with the others" Erza suggested as Levy nodded.

Moving up the driveway towards the parking lot, the three could hear a few snarls and low shouts…obviously from Mira as they saw her take down an infected with her locust chopper.

"GRNNGH!" Strauss growled out as she planted a boot on the chest of the corpse and pulled her blade free with a shower of blood. Pulling back, the female swung at another walker as it bore down on her. It had knocked into the bumper of a hatch-back car, staggering its gait as Kagura dealt with a few nearby. More freshly killed corpses littered the cracked pavement of the lot, the two women dispatching them with practiced brutality as they cleared the immediate area.

"Stupid rot bag!" she yelled with fury as she swung the blade…and sliced through the top of the head. The body dropped like a sack of meat as Mira turned toward the trio moving toward Kagura…well two now as the black haired woman dispatched one with her own knife.

Coming up behind the walker, it started to turn with a hissing moan at the nearby human, but didn't get further than that as Mira cleaved the skull in two. Bits of brain spattered the air, making the female cringe as the rot stench made itself known.

"HHNGH!" Kagura gasped out as she used her left arm to block the advance of the final walker. Using her forearm to keep the snapping teeth away from her delicate flesh as it tried to grab her, she stabbed it in the head with purpose. Falling silent with a gasp, the dead body fell as the mage breathed deeply.

"God…I hate how these thing smell" she wavered as Erza, Levy, and Natsumi walked up.

"Having fun?" Levy pipped out with a grin as Erza stored her find in the truck.

"Oh…shut up Levy" Kagura glared lightly as she started to look around the tent city and parking lot. Most of the tents had collapsed or were torn apart as snow drifted through the openings. Car doors were left open, a few with corpses resting inside that would never move again.

"That FEMA trailer would probably be our best bet out here. I seriously doubt we'll find crates of canned food in these tents" Natsumi suggested as she kicked an empty can away. It clanked and clattered, mixing in with the whistling breeze as snow fluttered.

Nothing moved now expect the tattered lines of clothes and camping material as Mira stepped forward toward the trailer.

"Keep an eye out for lurkers or dead under cars. They can be fucking sneaky" Natsumi warned as their group moved with caution across the parking lot. Standing near some aid tents, the five could see that they had been looted long ago by survivors as empty cases littered the ground.

Nothing attacked them. For all intents and purposes, the lot was empty as the scarred survivor walked up the short steps to the trailer. Tapping the door with her crowbar, the pinkette leaned forward and listened.

Movement and startled rasps could be heard as she nodded.

"Dead inside. Drop them while I get clear" she ordered as the first body thumped against the door. Gripping the knob on the landing, Natsumi pulled it open while using the door to hide from view.

A trio of FEMA workers staggered out onto the small landing, their tattered coats still readable as they started to shuffle down the steps toward the four women only fifteen feet away. The lead man snarled, part of the lower jaw missing as dried gore covered the front of his old coat.

Three silenced gunshots from Erza, Mira, and Levy killed them with ease as the former emergency workers dropped to the cold earth.

"Hello?" Natsumi called out from behind the door as she tried to peer in. Silence greeted her from the interior shadows as cold wind bit her face.

"I think that was all of them, Natsumi" Erza added as she walked up.

"You never know…" the other woman replied as she moved away from the door. Following Erza inside, the trailer stank of rot and musk…but some supplies were still there for the taking as the females fanned out.

"Take everything. Anything that can be used" Scarlet commanded as she picked up a box of gauze bandages.

"You'd think that somebody would tried to clear this place already" Kagura implored as she placed some unused I.V. bags into a nearby box of sealed syringes.

"It's not surprising. The cities quickly became deathtraps with thousands or tens of thousands of the undead attacking the living. Places like this didn't last long. If anybody survived here, they left long ago just to escape the hordes" Natsumi answered quickly as she placed some penicillin and other medicines in a bag. Scratching one of her facial scars, the woman paused for a moment as her marred beauty came to the forefront of her mind. Images flashed of the demons…all her loved ones being brutally killed before her as their laughter echoed through her memories.

"_I used to be so…beautiful. So…nice and loving. Now…now I'm just a survivor scavenging medicine…"_

Dispelling the thoughts after a few moments, Natsumi knew she needed to concentrate as she picked up another bottle of medicine and tossed it in the nearby bag…

An hour later had Kagura loading another box of scavenged supplies into the large, military truck as the other four women stood nearby. More light snow had drifted down and a few more infected had limped around the school to investigate the low sounds of activity, but were quickly killed as they looted everything they could find in the tent city.

But Natsumi had been mostly correct about the search. There hadn't been much except a few cans of food, a case of soda, and a box of 9mm rounds. Hardly worth their time so far as the group of females approached the metal doors to the building.

"Well, lets check this school out. Hopefully there is more inside" Mira simply stated as she moved up and grasped the handle.

"Yeah…or a fucking horde of corpses" Natsumi snarked out as the women nodded. There could be nasty shit trying to eat them too.

Mira pushed the door open, a light squeal of rusting hinges sounding like a gunshot as daylight poured into the hallway. School lockers were flung open as old papers and garbage littered the floor. An old spray of blood arced across some of the blue lockers near a slumped corpse on the tile as some bullet holes had cratered the plaster ceiling. And of course…the five corpses that were standing along the hallway slowly turned with interest toward the doorway and the human's. They were dusty and rotten, their skin pallid and leathery as they started to shuffle and gait toward them.

The slumped over body stirred, the head slowly rising as it let out a low growl.

"Dammit…" Natsumi cursed as she strode up to the dead man. Plunging her crowbar into his head, she ripped it free as bits of bone flew against the wall. Turning toward the next walker as it quickly staggered toward her, the pinkette let out her own snarl of hate. The crowbar cracked the skull, re-killing the former woman as part of the head caved in with a crunch of rot.

"Don't go too far ahead, Natsumi" Erza commanded as she pressed the lancer to her shoulder and fired at the next zombie. The first winged the corpse in the neck, making its head loll to the side uncaringly as it snarled and rasped on its forward gait.

"Sloppy Erza…" the red head whispered as she fired again, the silent bullet blowing out part of the eye socket. The corpse collapsed against the dusty lockers as a few more headshots took care of the rest.

Lowering her LMG, Levy peered around as Natsumi nudged the woman she killed, making sure it was truly dead as a few distant rasps echoed from darkened and distant hallways inside the school. Peering her eyes, all she could see was a few open doors to classrooms on either side as the hall ended in a T-intersection one hundred feet ahead.

"I really don't feel like searching every room for these god-damn fucking walkers. Especially when they try to eat my face. I say we ring the dinner bell and make them come to us"

"You know that never gets them all, Levy. There's always a few stragglers" Mira commented as she switched on her flashlight to pierce the insidious gloom. Another few rasps rang through the deserted school as she glanced behind her toward the parking lot and truck.

It was still empty aside from the occasional walker pressed against the property fence. Hardly a threat…but still. She didn't want to have one sneak up and sink teeth into her neck.

"What do you mean by that?" Natsumi asked as she rejoined the group.

"Just get ready. Kagura, watch our backs" Erza ordered as her friend nodded. Turning, she kept an eye on the parking lot and their transport. They need a secure escape route just in case.

"Okay…let's do it" Levy simply said as she walked up to a locker…and kicked it as hard as she could. The metal rang with a staggering echo, the sound racing down the corridor as Levy shouted.

"HEY YOU FUCKS! COME AND GET IT!"

Hungry groans and rasps seem to wake up like a crescendo in the school, easily becoming dozens upon dozens as shuffling footsteps and rustling clothes greeted them all.

The first classroom on the left had the door flung open…and it helped as the first dead walked into the hall with hungry moans. Diseased eyes locked onto the women as one became three…then five…then seven as more walkers emerged from the other classrooms…then from the T-intersection down the hall.

"LET'S GO!" Levy cheered on with madness as she pressed her LMG to her shoulder and fired at the first shambling corpse. The recoil bucked against her shoulder, but the bullet did its job as the back of the former teacher's head exploded with a red mist. The body collapsed to the dusty linoleum with ease as the other women started to fire with accurate professionalism.

"Sound out if you need to reload!" Scarlet ordered as she fired on single shot into the horde that now was filling the hall. Dropping a dead child that had its intestines torn out, the Gear brushed it aside as she shifted her aim and fired again. Dead children were far too familiar to her now.

It was a staggering line of lead impacting the walkers as every second saw three or four drop to the tile. Cordite and the stench of gunpower mixed in with the vile odor of decaying flesh. Moans and hungry rasps were continually cut off by the women as empty brass tinkled and fell.

"Damn. Are you sure we can handle this many!" Natsumi asked with a slight tremble of fear in her voice. To be honest, she had only ran from this many in the past…never had she tried to kill them all. Gulping deeply at the daunting numbers, she aimed her silenced berretta at a nine year old girl that had half the face missing. The gun kicked, blowing out the side of the child's head as more bits of rotten bone spattered against some fallen walkers. The dead child fell, her rest now complete as Natsumi's gun clicked empty.

"Reloading!" She cried out while stepping back.

"I'll cover you!" Kagura cried out as she stepped up and fired into the horde. Her muzzle flashed with silence, her training dropping a rotting soldier as it joined the dozens of fallen dead.

"Thanks!" the pinkette cried out as she stepped near the doorframe and switched out magazines with familiar ease.

"Empty!" Erza cried out next as she backed up, her fingers grasping her ammo belt for a fresh magazine as Natsumi took her spot and drew a bead on a deceased nurse that was missing half an arm.

The battle against the school horde seemed to last for an eternity as the dead seemed to pile on without an end as the females fired and fired. Those that needed to reload fell back and switched out constantly as the dead easily climbed past a hundred…then two hundred as their killed compatriots clogged the floor. But what seemed like eternity was really only a few minutes as the numbers started to rapidly decrease and slow. Soon, only a few lone walkers were appearing around the corners in the hallway. They were dropped with accurate gunfire…and then the moaning ceased as the final empty casings tinkled to the tiled floor of the school.

"Fuck…I thought we would have to cut and run"

"If it was an open space, it would've been better to run. But the hallway reduced their ability to surround us. Plus, now we probably killed a good majority in this fucking school" Levy told the pinkette as she stepped forward and kicked a locker again.

'_**CLANG!'**_

"HEY! ANYBODY LEFT! I HAVE CANDY AND A RUSTING RAPE VAN!"

"Seriously? After yesterday you say something like that?" Erza inquired as silence was the only sound to greet them. If there were any more walkers, they were either trapped or they had killed them all…most likely the former.

"We all know that the second those bastards stuck their cocks in our mouths we would've bitten them off" the scientist shot back.

"She's not wrong…" Kagura admitted as Erza smirked.

"Awe…were you worried you haven't gotten to do that to Natsu first? After all, you're the only one in the 'Sisterhood' that hasn't slept with him yet"

"DON'T VOLUNTEER ME FOR YOUR INSANE HAREM YOU LUST FILLED PERVERT!" Kagura barked as her hair almost rose in annoyance.

Mira nodded with her fingers on her chin. It was obvious Kagura needed help with love.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you about my time with Cana and Natsu in that romantic cabin" Mira smiled as Kagura groaned.

"Your all idiots…" She grumbled as Natsumi shook her head.

"I still can't believe the male version of myself dates that many women…and some other version of me" The scarred pinkette muttered as she recalled the conversation last night as they prepared for bed at the Savior compound. Frankly….Erza had given far…far too many perverted details of all the threesome's she's had.

"_Let's be honest…my own Erza was just as perverted with all her smut novels. I wonder if that's just one of those things with Scarlet across the multiverse?"_

"Okay. Enough joking around. We came here to find some shit and we should do that" Levy suggested as she looked at all the corpses covering the floor. "Man…fuck walking over all those bodies. Especially if we find some good stuff"

"Oh…just deal with it" Erza uttered in annoyance as she stepped between the fallen. Turning back, she eyed Kagura. "Take the truck around back. I'm sure there is a loading dock for the kitchen or something. Then just guard all our supplies until we link up with you"

"Sure thing, Erza"

Walking back outside, the woman with midnight black hair set out to complete her small task as the four others started to pick their way past the bodies.

"Good idea having her guard the truck. For all we know some scavengers could show up and steal it while we're inside" Natsumi lightly praised as she was the first to reach the corner of the intersection. Swinging wide with her pistol raised in her right as the left gripped her crowbar, her cold eyes saw no undead lurking. A cone of light soon pierced the gloom as Mira joined her, the light illuminating more strewn garbage and abandoned items as more bloodstains covered the walls and floor. It was flakey and brownish, long since dried.

"Levy and I will try to find the gym and see what we can find. You two find the cafeteria. If there's anything here, it will probably be those two places" Erza suggested as Mira peered down the right hallway.

"Sure thing. Be careful" Mira replied as she started to walk forward with Natsumi, her boots clomping against the tile as the group split into two groups to search. Moving past several classrooms that were still closed, Mira and Natsumi opted for silence as a few had their windows broken. The glass littered the floor, crunching underneath as one room had chairs and desks piled against the classroom entrance. If it was to keep the dead out or in, they couldn't tell. All they knew was it probably wasn't worth their time to clear it all.

"So…what's it like being in a harem?" Natsumi asked softly as they approached an L-turn in the building. Coming up to the wall as Mira hugged the corner, the take-over mage took a quick glance down the new corridor. No more dead loomed…except for the bones of some poor soul that had been picked clean. A rat scurried away from the flashlight beam as it passed over the tattered bits of flesh still attached to a stray femur. Raising the beam higher, the white haired woman eyed their destination. straight ahead down the school corridor was the cafeteria as the double doors to the large room hung open. A few walkers could bee seen bumping into tables, but they were few and far between.

"Not too bad actually. Sure I have to share my man, but I know he loves me despite his…gruffness. He has his demons…his nightmares just like myself and all the others from the war, but deep down some of the old Natsu is still there. And despite the scars and his brutality on the battlefield, he can be quite romantic" Mira smiled lightly as she thought of her man. "Plus…the sex is awesome every time" she added as the duo continued down the hall.

"You miss him?" Natsumi asked softly as the two moved to either side of the wide doorway and peered in. Six infected were standing idly in the room, most trapped in the haphazard layout of tables as they swung like drunks on unsteady feet. Why they didn't try to join the horde earlier Natsumi couldn't fathom, but they were here and would have to be dealt with.

"Every god-damn day…Now let's go silent" Mira whispered back as she glanced inside the cafeteria near the doorway on her left. It would be fucking stupid to get jumped by some lurker just out of sight. Luckily for them, there weren't any more dead as Natsumi moved like a cat toward the first corpse. It noticed with a gasp and groan, the fat man's skin almost melting off his body as the dragon slayer jabbed the sharp end of her crowbar through the bridge of his nose.

It crunched like sickness as the metal shaft pierce the brain and the top of his head, unleashing more vile rot against the woman's nostrils as she pulled the weapon free with a slick yank.

'_**Pfft! Pftt!'**_

Mira dropped the next two as they tried to make their way around a lunch table as a small group, but they didn't even make it five feet as the women moved toward the last three. They were trapped in the middle of three tables and the wall, their hungry moans annoying the females as Natsumi scowled.

"I got them. Just cover me"

Swinging her crowbar at the first, woman let out a loud gasp of exertion as her weapon caved in the rotting skull of a man in tattered clothes. His head cracked against the table, spilling more rotten gore and brain matter as Natsumi dealt with the next two in an equal manner.

"Come on, lets check the kitchen. Hopefully Kagura is just outside now" Mira ordered as she illuminated the doorway to the cooking area.

"I just hope it's fucking worth it" We used a lot of ammo getting here" Following the white haired beauty into the darkness past the stoves and refrigerator, her complaints were soon silenced as they walked into the loading bay for the building. A low growl greeted her ears as Mira dispatched a lone walker guarding the room with her lancer, the empty casing tinkling the concrete floor as the body fell in a heap next to their find.

"How…how could they leave all this behind?" Natsumi asked in an almost stunned tone as her eyes traced the two full pallets of M.R.E's stacked almost to her shoulder. Walking up to the foodstuff's abandoned by the U.S. army, the fire mage grinned as Mira shone the flashlight on the description tag.

"Who knows. All I know is that this is a lot of food that stays fresh for years" Mira smirked as she moved toward the metal shutter at the back. "Here. Help me get this open"

"Fine. We need to get some light in here anyway" Natsumi observed as both women gripped the handhelds. Grunting with exertion as the gate slowly rose, the wheels squealed like nails on a chalkboard as shafts of daylight poured in along with scattered snow. Another set of hands helped from the other side as womanly fingers pushed upwards.

In moments, the rolling gate was open as Kagura stood there in the yard near a few freshly killed corpses. The large truck was nearby, its engine giving a few cooling ticks as a few more undead grasped at the chain-link fence along the perimeter. They were ignored by the humans as the mermaid mage peered inside.

"Any problems?" M.J. asked as a blast of cold fluttered her hair.

"Just a few dead. Nothing I couldn't handle"

"Good. Then you can help us get all this loaded" Natsumi ordered with finality as the sunlight revealed more boxes of supplies.

"Ugh…that looks like a lot"

"Yup. Better get started then" Natsumi ordered with a stern glare as the wind caressed her facial scars. Turning away, she moved toward the first pallet of M.R.E's as the other two women sighed. It was a lot…and the days were short.

Picking up the first box of rations, the pinkette sighed as more flutters of snow drifted down from the dirty sky. "If Happy was here…he'd probably be panicking about all this while wearing a tiny scarf. And Lucy would be scolding him to calm down" The woman whispered as she remembered her dear friends.

She couldn't help it. Tears flowed down her marred and ruined face as she tried to control it. _"How? How could picking up a crate of crappy food remind me of them? How…how they ate my friend alive? I…HATE those bastards for what they did!"_

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Natsumi turned with puffy eyes to Mira and her bruised lips. The swelling was there still…the fresh beating still angry as the scar above her eye brow pulled.

"Are you okay?"

Sniffling as she set the supplies down in the truck bed, Natsumi shook her head.

"No…I miss my little buddy. All my friends. My life was so…happy. And now I'm a scarred freak with horrible nightmares. I've killed people before I met you…for scraps and all I can think of is how disappointed my family would be if they saw me now"

"Hey. Don't think that. Your doing the damn best you could after you were tortured by some shitty demons that lets face it, probably suck each others cocks because they're so fucking stupid and worthless. And your friends would be fucking proud of you for surviving so far. I know I am. And I can speak for all of us that we are damn glad to meet you"

Wiping away a few tears, Natsumi sniffled as she nodded. "They…they didn't deserve what happened"

"Nobody does. In the grand scheme of things, demons are probably the most worthless garbage in the multiverse. I mean…they're so fucking stupid! Attacking different worlds when they have a whole universe? …fucking shit-bag creatures! ANYBODY WHO LIKES THEM SUCKS!" She ranted as Mira went completely off topic with female madness.

Natsumi gave the ghost of a grin. Mira was right…those demons probably suck cock all day with how worthless they all are. But still, it made her feel slightly better as the echoing sounds of footsteps approached from the kitchen. Looking up as her eyes started to dry, she saw Erza and Levy walk up with the scarlet mage holding two ammunition boxes.

"The gym was empty except for a few walkers….and had lots of shit left over. We might need to make two trips with all this" Erza grinned as she placed the ammo boxes in the flatbed of the transport.

"Yeah, some of these dead army guys tried to make a stand there or something. Spare M-16's, a few shotguns and pistols along with stacks of ammo. It's really fucked up how much was just sitting there for us" Levy admitted as she briefly thought madness. _"It's almost a plot device in fanfiction! But that's fucking stupid! I've scientifically proven that's not the case! Also…I should really build a giant death robot someday! …Something that plays patriotic music!"_

"Well damn…we might have to get that Humvee working after all" Kagura implied as Levy stared off in thoughts of madness…then came roaring back

"That's right! Liberty Prime will be awesome! And I obviously get to drive it! It will prove I'm the superior Levy to thehappy!"

An awkward pause went through the other women's thoughts as a few whispering groans from infected pierced the winter air and falling snow. A piece of trash fluttered between them, the soiled paper part of a newspaper kicking up and continuing on as Scarlet broke the silence.

"What…what the fuck are you talking about!? Giant robots!? And who the fuck is thehappy!?" Erza shouted at the shorter woman who turned to the redhead in confusion. Cocking an eye as she cradled her chin with her thumb and forefingers, Levy nodded.

"Yeah…your sounding completely crazy Erza. Did you eat some bad mustard or something? I've never mentioned thehappy in all my life. Yet here you are spouting nonsense about some…I dunno, fanfiction writer? Your insane"

Erza groaned loudly, pinching her nose as the sharp wind made her red locks flow and waver. "I'm not going to get mad…Levy is special…she's smart…her mind is just messed up…"

"Um…Maybe we should try to find a trailer? Something to hook up?" Natsumi suggested as the memories of dead friend faded for now along with McGarden's obvious madness.

"Not a bad idea…" Mira agreed as she headed back into the school. "Kagura, help me out. I don't want to be left defenseless in case we missed some of the dead"

"Why are you always ordering me around? I'm the same rank as you according to the German's"

"That doesn't matter now. We just have to get through a few weeks and hopefully Levy is right and we shift away"

"Your gonna take me with…right?" Natsumi inquired as she grabbed another box of M.R.E.'s

"If we can. I mean, we shifted with all our stuff last time so hopefully its something that we're touching at the time. Of course, it's still a guess since it was jus the four of us last time" Levy replied as she grabbed some supplies for the truck.

"Okay…fair enough" the pinkette said silently as the women continued to work and load their scavenged supplies….

**Three day's later…**

Negan tapped his foot outside the compound, his face showing bits of anger and annoyance as the chained infected grasped and moaned with diseased death nearby. Some of his men were with him, loading up a truck to find out what happened with the five women he sent out.

"Negan? It's…you know they might've just flown the coop right? They could've pulled a fast one on yo—"

"No. They were way to fucking cool for that kind of bullshit. I'm thinking they got trapped or stranded. After all, D.C. and its suburbs are pretty fucking dangerous"

"But sending out a search party t—"

"TRUCKS! TRUCKS ON THE ROAD!" A man in a guard tower pointed as the winter wind tugged at his jacket.

Following his line of sight, the leader of the Saviors smirked as the first vehicle rounded the light bend in the roadway toward his factory.

The military transport rumbled down the pavement, its large tires crunching some old garbage as it slowed on its approach to the gate. And it wasn't alone as a u-haul trailer was hooked up, its lighter wheels jouncing. Of course, this was only the lead vehicle in the small convoy as a Humvee followed by two pick-up trucks followed with snorting engines.

Flowing through the gate as the familiar features of Erza could be seen in the lead, Negan approached the convoy as the knight parked and climbed out. Her boots kicked up a light dusting of snow, her hair flowing as the jacket wearing man strut forward with Lucille.

"Your late. Some of my men were thinking you ditched me and all my hospitality"

Shouldering her own bat that still dripped some rotten gore, Scarlet turned his way as her fellow Gears parked and climbed out.

"We ran into a few snags. But with all we found, I'm sure waiting an extra day didn't hurt your feelings too much"

"Now…I'll be the judge of that. I expect good things from you all while you're here"

Waving forward with her gloved hand, Erza strode to the Uhaul trailer and opened the rolling door. It let a soft squeal of wheels on tracks as Negan peered in.

"Holy shit…HOLY FUCKING SHIT! You found me a god damn machine gun!?" the man asked with a large grin as he studied the contents. Boxes of ammunition and gasoline, shotguns and rifles…this haul was fucking fantastic!

"Two actually. The one on that Humvee can be fixed according to Levy. But we found M.R.E.'s, canned food, fuel and warm clothing, hardware tools, spare car batteries…even some grenades and booze. Plus these three trucks can be used by your men"

"And by my count we killed about….five hundred of those dead fucks walking around these past few days" Mira explained as she joined the group with the others.

"Heh…always good to hear" Negan smiled as he turned to some nearby men. "Get this shit unloaded and inside! These ladies have earned a day off because they fucking earned their keep today!" Negan roared out as he glanced back.

"Go on to the kitchen. Grab some hot food and take it easy. You all earned it" he ordered as some men started to unload the new found supplies brought to the saviors. Eyes watching the five women stride inside, He almost felt regret that not one of them was his wife. But they put him in such a great god damn mood he was going to go fuck two of his later today!

"Negan. This will take hours to unload. We could use some more hands for this" A man explained as he walked up with a box of grenades.

"Then get some of the assholes off walker duty to help. Maybe the fucks from the diner" He ordered as the mid-day sun broke through the clouds.

"Yeah…fuck yeah this was good fucking day!"

**Three weeks later. Two hour's until 'the shift' Downtown D.C.**

After their initial scavenger hunt in Bethesda, Negan had basically told the five females that they had earned a whole week off from leaving the large compound. He praised them for their great finds…all the extra food and medicine they had brought was a boon to his people as his forces continued to go and kill the dead or 'negotiate' with smaller communities.

But being the hard workers they were, by day three those women were trying their hand at bettering the community of Saviors. Levy was unable to help herself and started building a solar array on top of the roof with Natsumi, who frankly, didn't see the point of it all since they would leave in a few weeks.

And Mira…she missed the kitchen and volunteered by cooking some meals for the whole building. It was so surprisingly delicious that Negan asked her to be one of his wives…which was promptly shot down with a waging finger and giggle. Frankly, she simply told him her man wouldn't be very happy with her if she did that.

Then of course…Erza and Kagura worked on their swordsmanship which got so popular that betting matches took place between the two as they fought before Negan and the saviors. Surprisingly, Kagura managed to win about one third of the time despite Erza's bounty of experience on the battlefield.

Still…by the end of that first week, they were to head out again for the Saviors which led them to some smaller towns and communities in the area. While they never managed to find the same kind of haul like Bethesda, they still managed to kill undead and bring something back.

But…that was before things went wrong and they found themselves cut off from their vehicle for the past two days. None of them had planned this…to be out in the downtown streets of this nation's dead capital. No, they had promised Negan one last run before they shifted days earlier…and now…now they were trying to make their way back to their transport at the west end of 'the mall'

* * *

The dead were everywhere. Shambling and groaning across the landscape that housed museums and monuments to this country's past leadership and achievements. The stone obelisk that was the Washington monument was covered with vines as dead stood nearby, their flesh pallid and pale in the slushy snow. Military equipment along with bullet ridden police cruisers sat silently among the roads near overrun roadblocks of sandbags and concrete barricades. It was horribly obvious that the government fell badly to the walking dead as former police-men stumbled and shifted near their old positions.

In the nearby distance, the once familiar dome of the Senate building had fallen in, the result of a helicopter crash during the fall of civilization as walkers stumbled and wavered up the steps of the senate. Hundreds milled and moved about, their low rasps lost in the winter of this day as the overgrown grass of the nearby landscape crawled with countless infected. Hearing the movement of uninfected footsteps, the walker that was once Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez turned toward the disturbance. A ragged bite wound from a zombie in the early days had torn out part of her neck, not that it mattered since her guards had abandoned her for her selfishness that caused the deaths of three dozen citizens. But this was unknown to the five women running up the steps to the Senate building as one of them veered to eliminate the threat.

Erza swung Strawberry at the former representative in the tattered remains of a dress that might have been nice once. The bat's end of nails and barbwire were already coated with gore as bits of flesh dangled among the barbs.

"Hnng!" She let out as the bat connected, caving in the walker's skull as dried gore flew through the cold air. The body dropped to the steps in a pile as Erza moved on. Swinging again seconds later, she killed another infected with brutal efficiency as blood arced through the air.

"Hurry! That building!" Natsumi said in a low yell as she swung her crowbar at another zombie. It's clothes were a tattered mess with dozens of bites covering the torso as some intestines swung freely in the mid-day sunlight. The skull caved in with sickening ease as the pinkette pulled her weapon free in a hurry. Climbing the next few steps, she felt the backpack of emergency supplies dig into her shoulders as dozen's more dead seemed to swarm toward them.

"Shit! I can't believe we got surrounded like that!" Levy complained as she shot three walkers dead that had gotten to close for comfort. Running past the bodies, the blunette jabbed her bayonet into a man's face with a snarl as it's moan was cut off. Stenches of rot splattered onto her body armor as a few drops hit her cheek.

"It can't be helped! All we can do is try to find some place to hide!" Mira cursed out as she gripped her locust chopper. Swinging with all her might at a dead man in a black suit, she released the man of his head as the body dropped. Not giving it a second thought as it tumbled down a few steps, Mira glanced to the top of the staircase.

Sandbag positions were there near the entrance to the senate building, the machineguns sitting useless and desolate as a final stand against the infected citizens in the past. A few zombified soldiers stood nearby, their infected gaze looming in on the five women as they ran up the final steps.

A former private lunged for Kagura, its teeth a horrid yellow of decay as its arms tried to grab the female. She grunted and gasped, her left arm bracing under the man's chin as the teeth tried to bite her warm flesh. Grabbing the combat knife from her sheath, Kagura stabbed the walker through the ear as she grit her teeth from the closeness of death. Yanking it free with a spurt of chunky blood far beyond rotten, she turned on her heel as another bag of rotting flesh bore down on her. A stab through the left eye socket killed the military man as the five reached the top steps.

"Shit…shit!" Natsumi cursed as more of the dead gave chase up the wide staircase toward their location. _"A WHOLE FUCKING HORDE! ONE WRONG TURN AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND WE RAN INTO HUNDREDS OF THESE UNDEAD FUCKS TWO DAYS AGO! We…We need to find some place to lie low!"_

Her panicked thoughts were dismissed as Natsumi lowered her shoulder and charged at the barricaded doorway. Pain flared up her right shoulder, making her gasp as the large chain padlock rattled against the heavy doors.

"Don't bother!" Mira cried out as she switched to her lancer. Taking a glance down the steps, it seemed like half the mall was coming after them. Cursing at the added noise, the mage revved up her chainsaw and lowered it to the padlocks. Metal hissed and cried, screeching with sparks as Levy kept firing down the stone steps with Erza and Kagura.

Their weapons still had silencers, but it hardly mattered when hundreds of hungry, flesh eating freaks already knew where you were. The front ranks fell to headshots, a constant explosion of bursting bone and rotten brain matter as Mira finished cutting the chain.

'_**BANG!'**_

She kicked the door open, revealing the marble lobby…and a few zombified senators as they turned lazily toward the human. One woman with the nametag of 'Warren' stumbled forward with missing arms, the flesh dangling toward the musty floor.

Mira shot her in the face, the flash of light bouncing off the walls as she hurried inside and shot two more.

"HURRY! INSIDE!" she shouted as Natsumi cracked the skull of a man, her plaid shirt taking a coating of blood as his head burst like a diseased grapefruit.

Erza, Levy, and Kagura didn't need to be told twice as they ran through the entranceway with extreme haste. The dead were only ten feet away, their hungry snarls of disease and cannibalism baying for female flesh. Slamming the doors shut, Mira promptly locked them with the remaining deadbolt…and not a moment too soon as the first corpse started to batter the doors. Then another….and another…and more as the temporary barricade lightly buckled.

"Shit…that's not going to fucking hold. And we don't have nearly enough ammo to take them all on" Erza gasped out as she tried to catch her breath. She was tired…they had been running, trying to find a way from this damn mall. But it's like every road was a snarl of ruined cars and dead bodies. No matter what they had done…no matter where they had run, the dead found them.

"No shit, Scarlet" Mira groaned out as she checked her ammunition. She was down to two magazines for her lancer, and another half mag for her pistol…not nearly enough for what's out there. And to top it off, they were exhausted. Grasping her canteen from her belt, she quickly drank some cold water to quench her thirst.

Kagura looked around for an escape route away from this hell, but there was nothing as a cold gust of wind blew in from the opened dome above. Snow littered the lobby as light poured in, illuminating the rusting corpse of a emergency helicopter that had crashed into the building. It had left a trail of destruction, taking out part of the second story staircase before gouging across the large U.S. seal that was now covered in dirty snow. Having skidded into the nearby hallway that led to the depths of the building, it was obvious the vehicle had exploded due to the haphazard layout of debris and old scorch marks along the wall. But even if they could get past, the tell tale sounds of more dead on the other side of the crash eliminated that avenue.

"Damn…DAMN!" the mermaid mage yelled out as the double doors buckled again. The rasps were louder…hungrier as the ghouls knew there was something tasty inside.

"Levy…how long until we shift?" Erza asked solemnly, her hands now holding her trusty rifle as the dead pounded the door again.

"Not soon enough…at least an hour and a half. We'll be chopped…liver…shit" she uttered off as she looked at the five dead zombies in the lobby of ruined stone and forgotten laws.

"What?" Natsumi asked as strands of dirty hair blocked her eyes. Darting them to the doorway as it groaned again, she was starting to accept that death would be soon.

"_Maybe I'll see my friends again…"_

"I just thought of a gnarly, disgusting idea" Walking toward the former congresswoman, Levy stabbed her bayonet into the stomach…and ripped it open. Crouching down, she wrinkled her nose as she grabbed a handful…and smeared it onto her face. The vile gore streaked across her skin, coating it in rot as she dug in again with stomach churning intent. Spreading more across her chest piece of body armor, it gained a disgusting tint of chunky flesh as her eyes betrayed the madness of their situation.

"Gah…Phew! And I thought they smelled bad on the outside!"

"Levy…What the fuck!" Erza exclaimed as she felt herself going queasy from what her friend and fellow sister was doing. The door nearby shifted again, the hinges groaning against the weight of bodies outside.

"No…she's a fucking genius. I can't believe I didn't think of it! The dead hunt us because we smell alive! If we stay quiet and smell like them…we might be able to slip past them and get to the Lincoln Memorial!" Natsumi exclaimed as she moved toward a different body. Crouching down, she unfolded a small knife and stabbed it into the dead flesh of the male senator. The skin ripped and cut, making her gulp deeply as she held up a piece of liver…the closed her eyes and wiped it on her scarred face. Natsumi wanted to vomit from the action. The smell was…overwhelmingly vile as globs of gore sat on her cheeks.

Breathing through her mouth, the pinkette gave another gulp as she reached into the chest cavity and repeated the process. Wiping it on her forearms and hands, she continued to cover her clothing and any exposed flesh with guts.

"I'm going to have such nightmares if this works…" Kagura whispered with a gulp as she used her combat knife to start to open up another corpse. Grasping some rotting intestine, she pulled it out like a snaking tendril…and wrapped it around her neck as the horrid smell covered her. Taking some of the strand, she wiped it against her silky, black hair with horrific thoughts. _"I'm going to shower for a whole week! A week if I live through this next hour! And my poor hair!"_ The woman silently cried as she wiped more viscera on her cheeks and armor.

"Make sure not to get any in your eyes or mouth…we don't know if we would die from that so be careful" Erza cautioned as she jammed her chainsaw blade into another body. The teeth spun, spewing raw flesh across her boots as she carved through the body's bone and muscle. Mira did the same, her face a contortment of disgust as she started to slather her body with chunks of human. Glancing at Erza, the sister of Lisanna and Elfman knew this was the only way out.

"This is so wrong on so many levels…" Mira whispered as she hung a few broken ribs still coated with flesh around her neck. Wiping more of the entrails on her cheeks, face, arms and legs, she went back for more to cover her chest-plate.

"Here…I'll get your back" Erza whispered as the door shuddered. A light crack graced the hall, indicating time was running out as the wood near the lock started to splinter.

Hefting more decayed flesh from 'Warren', the knight started to spread the gristle across Mira's backside. It went everywhere, making her eyes water as Kagura did the same to Erza seconds later.

"As much as you can…and when that door breaks, make no sudden movements" Natsumi ordered as she smeared some liver juice across Levy's clothed ass. The smell was so horrible to her…doubly worse as a Dragon slayer as her eyes tried to water. But…she held on as the women finished their camouflage with only half a minute to spare.

Rapidly hitting some buttons, Levy placed her P.I.V.D. into sleep mode as the door cracked and buckled some more. The device went quiet, the screen darkening as the five women stood still.

"_If this doesn't work…we're zombie food" _Erza thought as she briefly thought of Natsu. She wished he was here…something to hold tight as her heart thumped hard.

'_**CCCRAAACKKK!'**_

The door burst open under the weight of bodies, the front ranks being trampled as the ones behind flowed in. The dead surged forward, knowing that something to eat had come in here. Shuffling forward, Bernie Sanders let out a low moan as his left eye dangled from the socket on a string of nerves. A ragged bite had taken part of his jawline, not that there was anybody left to care. Stumbling forward, his infected gaze locked onto the creature with red, flowing hair.

Watching it approach, Erza felt herself clench up as the walker homed in on her with more in tow. It came within a foot, the dead eye studying her as it sniffed for warm skin to eat, but found nothing but decay.

Turning away after a few seconds, Bernie Sanders limped to the helicopter to investigate the snarls of noise coming from behind the crash site. Slapping his arm that was missing a hand at the burnt metal, he and several dozen walkers started to beat against the barricade in hopes of finding the source of those groans on the other side.

Natsumi shifted slowly…ever so slowly toward the open entranceway as more dead seemed to flow in to investigate. A body bumped against her shoulder, but the rotter didn't seem to care as the horrid stench of decay wafted off the five women. Walking with a slow gait that matched the other corpses in the room, the dragon slayer practiced extreme silence as her eyes took in every possible threat.

Kagura was the first to exit the senate building, her steps like a drunk as the decaying intestine around her neck slapped against her armor. Walking down the first wide step, she didn't dare turn her head or call out. She knew where they had to go…across the mall as hundreds of zombies between here and there still milled about.

Levy pursed her lips, her natural tendency to attack kicked down as she walked behind Natsumi and Mira. Already halfway down the large staircase, the blunette spotted Erza ten feet away as they moved through the horde.

Minutes passed as the group of five converged with each other. The want to scream was high…to panic and run with their senses flaring of the danger around them. The constant jostling…of walkers bumping into them or staring at them with mindless stupidity was almost maddening. Sometimes they got so close, Mira was sure they would hear their heart beats or feel their breath. But luck was still on their side as they walked…and walked with cautionary slowness.

The reflecting pool was a disgusting mess of moss and frozen water as several former humans struggled to break free of the ice from mid waist. One actually did, their midsection coming apart as it started to crawl toward the further edge. Entrails flowed behind, leaving a streak of red and bits of viscera.

The five women ignored it. They had one goal…reach the truck and find a place to lay low until the shift. But it was slow going…and dangerous.

Still…their disguises worked as the rot of decay wafted off their bodies. And after an hour of walking across the mall of overgrown grass and slushing snow, the herd finally thinned enough for the women to increase their pace.

Levy scowled as the Lincoln Memorial came closer. By her rough estimate, they only had ten minutes left before they shifted away, and they needed their supplies. For all they knew, they would all end up on a world far worse than this and would need every advantage. Turning lightly, she started to walk toward the truck's location behind the monument as her companions did the same. Hearing the dead rasps coming from her left, Levy craned her eyes without turning….and cursed in her mind.

Several dead were following them. Maybe just mindless walking…or they thought their group was homing in on something. The point is, a dozen hungry cannibals were following them…and all the women knew this.

Erza and Kagura rounded the corner, spotting their truck first as it came into view. It was still sitting there untouched among the snarls of traffic that blocked the parkway past the Potomac river. More dead inhabited the area, but their numbers were far thinner back here as the five survivors moved to the truck through the tangle of wrecks. It slowed the dozen walkers following them, but wouldn't delay them long.

Levy hurried her pace, joining Mira and Natsumi as they moved toward the back with Erza and Kagura. The knight glanced at their undead friends, and knew they would probably have to fight.

"Everybody…get ready. I think those walkers know we're up to something…" Scarlet whispered with deathly silence as a few more decaying souls stumbled across the road.

Levy lit up her wrist mounted device…and cringed at the time. One minute left and the dozen would be here in seconds.

"Shit. Fuck it" McGarden cursed as she readied her weapon and pressed it to her shoulder. Squeezing the trigger, the weapon bucked against her gore strewn shoulder as the bullet bore through the first zombies head. It's brain pan spattered against a burned out car, but that act riled up the followers even more. Three more gunshots spelt death for the dead as Erza, Mira, and Kagura cleared the area around their transport with silenced gunfire.

"You could've waited" Natsumi scolded as she stepped up and fired her pistol at a little boy that was missing all of his face. The bullet tore a piece of skull away, ending the corpse as more walkers started to notice the activity caused by the women. She shifted targets, the silencer muffling sound as the pinkette scored another headshot.

"Dammit! How much longer!" Erza shouted out as three rotten citizens moved past an overturned sedan. They had already noticed the activity…and it spoke of humans that needed to die. Running forward, Scarlet used her trusty bat to cave in the face of the first body. Kicking it away as the two behind gasped, the dead fell in a tangled heap as she raised her bat with rage.

"I'm so fucking sick of this world!" she yelled out as the nails and barbwire dug into the construction workers skull. Yanking it free, the woman swung again at the third body. Tangles of skin came free, grabbed by the barbs of her bat as she hurried backward.

"Ten seconds!" Levy shot back as she and Natsumi killed the last of the dozen empties boring down on them. Hoisting her L.M.G. onto her back plate, Levy knew time was up as more dead encircled them. Grabbing the pinkette's wrist with her left hand and pressing her right onto the hood of the truck, McGarden silently hoped that Natsumi wouldn't be left behind as their bodies started to glow.

"This is it! Prepare for anything!" Kagura cried out the infected surged toward them from all directions. Shooting one more down as Mira looked to Natsumi, the Strauss woman let out a small smile as blue particles of light danced from Levy to Natsumi.

The scarred woman who lost everything…her home and friends…all she loved gained a soft smile as her body tingled with blue, exotic particles that she couldn't hope to understand. Taking one last look at this world as the dead bore down on them all among the burnt wrecks and cracked pavement, her vision went blue…and the world of death disappeared…

**Crocus Year 791 The Grand Magic Games. Universe 113665-A**

The stadium was a frenzy of cheering fans and families that had come out to watch this spectacular event. The chance to see mages of all types and calibers wage battle for the number one spot was too hard to ignore or pass up. Tens of thousands inhabited the bleachers as Princess Hisui strode into the middle of the arena with Arcadios, Kamika, and Cosmos at her heels.

Before her…the many mages that would soon be competing and doing their best to secure victory. Lamia Scale…Blue Pegasus…Sabertooth…Mermaid Heel and the last place guild with two teams, Fairy Tail. Of course, there were the others standing nearby as Jason put his mouth near the magical microphone.

"HEEEELLLOOO EVERYBODY! ARE YOU READY FOR SOME MAGIC!"

"YYYYEAAAHHHH!" The crowd roared out, including the mages of Fairy Tail that weren't competing. Asuka cheered with her mother as Bisca raised a fist with her husband, Alzack.

"GO FAIRY TAIL!" the green haired gun mage cheered.

"SHOW THEM WHO'S BOSS, NATSU!" Happy shouted in cuteness as the blue cat fluttered near Laki.

"YEAH! YOU TELL THEM BROTHER!" Joy cheered out in equal mirth. Flying near the blue exceed, the pink one with a bow in her hair kept on cheering among thousands.

"YEEEAHH! That's what I like to hear!" Jason yelled into the microphone once more as he strode toward the beautiful princess. "NOW WHO WANT'S OUR LOVELY PRINCESSES HISUI TO INTRODUCE OUR COMP—"

He didn't get a chance to complete his loud tirade as the air sparked near Kagura and Erza's teams.

"What the-" Grey started to say in mild confusion.

'**POP! FLASH!'**

There was no warning. One second there was nothing there in the middle of the magical arena…then a large vehicle snapped into existence…along with five women. They were covered with gore…vile organs draped around their necks and faces as the five immediately aimed their weapons at the people around them.

"Your highness! Stay back!" Kamika ordered as she drew her blade and moved forward with Cosmos.

"What the…hell?" Kagura whispered near Erza as she gazed across the twenty foot gap…to herself and another Erza Scarlet. Their weapons looked sinister, covered in rancid flesh as this other Scarlet gripped a metal bat covered with nails and barb wire. Skin dangled from the tip as intestines wrapped around this other Kagura glistened in the warm sun.

"K…Knightwalker?"

The double turned her way in one fluid motion as she gripped a large handgun in one hand, the barrel almost sparkling with finish as her double spoke.

"Scarlet actually. And don't you dare fucking move" She uttered darkly as another Mira joined her with an equal look of anger.

"They…THEY"RE A THREAT TO THE PRINCESS!" Arcadios cried out as he ran forward toward this new threat.

McGarden spun toward him, her L.M.G.'s bayonet still slick with blood as her scarred face glared darkly.

"If any of you fucks try to take us down…we'll fucking kill you!" the mad woman screamed out as Gajeel walked forward slowly.

"Levy? From Edolas? You can calm down. We're teammates…" the iron slayer started to say as the shorter woman snarled.

"Fuck off. We were never on a team. And we're not from fucking Edolas! Now I'll say it again! Nobody fucking move!" She emphasized as Natsumi glared at the people around her. Keeping her gun raised, her eyes traced over…so many that had died. It was almost enough to break her again. Then…she spotted him nearby. Sting. Her eyes watered as her arm quivered at the sight of the man she secretly loved.

"HEY! KNOCK IT OFF! HOW CAN FAIRY TAIL GET BACK TO NUMBER ONE IF YOU DO THIS STUFF, OTHER MIRA!" Natsu yelled at the white haired female with streaks of blood across her cheeks.

She snapped her lancer toward him, her eyes darting from place to place as she took a step back in fear toward the truck.

"N…Natsu?" M.J. whispered as the man took a step closer. She started to shake. It was Natsu…not hers…but a Natsu. A face…a voice she hadn't heard in months upon months… She breathed harder, the sight of the man she loved only twenty feet away.

"Yeah…wherever you're from…your safe here. Just…don't hurt anybody, okay?" the fire mage asked the woman before him. He saw the scar above her eye…and lowered his gaze lightly from her blue eyes that seemed to quiver. Slowly lowering the rifle, M.J. gulped heavily.

"_There's pain in them…"_

Natsumi broke. It was too much. All her friends…her family. Everybody was here in a world of light…of happiness. Dropping the gun, the scarred pinkette fell to her knees as tears cut rivers through the blood on her face. Tilting her head back, she did the only thing she could as the other four closed ranks around her. She screamed at the sky above as the competitors watched in disturbed silence.

"WWWWWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

**And that is it! I hope you all enjoy the conclusion to the Walking Dead! Which…I probably could've done for a dozen chapters if I wanted haha. And yes, there was a time skip, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to read about supply runs the whole time. Obviously…they had to get covered in gore and dead people! Do wish I could've done more with Negan…oh well!**

**Also, I hope everybody had a nice thanksgiving! I know I did! So enjoy and leave some tasty reviews!**

**Levy: Shit! Natsumi broke again! This is Gajeels fault!**

**Erza: Natsu…Natsu is here and I'm stupidly, ridiculously horny…**

**Mira: me too…**

**Kagura: NO! YOU PERVERTS CAN'T DO THAT NOW! **

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	7. Natsumi's New Home

**Hello! Here I am with another chapter that follows our heroes! If your caught up, they were running for their lives from hordes of the undead and are pretty exhausted. Now…a new Earthland! I…really have no news or anything to bring up except for you all to enjoy to your hearts content! Reviews and positive feedback are always welcome!**

**I don't own any anime…or anything! I'm actually a blue cat with a love of fish! Now onto the story!**

**Chapter 7: Natsumi's New Home**

* * *

**Crocus Year 791 The Crocus Arena**

"WWWWAAAAAaaaaa!" Natsumi cried out as mournful tears continued to roll down her blood soaked cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she cried some more as her lungs wracked for air.

"What…the hell is going on?" Sting asked his friends as Minerva glared at this group before them.

"I don't know, but if they think these doubles will help them, I'll stop it. Plus, it's only Levy and a few of them. Numbers are hardly on their side" She simply said as the swordswoman stepped forward. The moment her fine shoes crunched the particles of earth, the gore covered Levy spun toward her as Arcadios, Cosmos, and the rest of the Garou knights approached the travelers.

"Shit! Nat! Get a grip!" Levy urged as she tried to reach the scar covered woman. Watching some of the mages approach closer, McGarden grit her teeth as bits of rancid flesh covered her hair. Then she felt it…her magic…her power had returned. Re-aiming her L.M.G at the approaching female, her voice was dark and full of power.

"Stay the fuck back you bitch! For all I know you're a god-damn cannibal trying to eat my skin! Or a fucking shape-shifter!" She aimed at Yukino and Rouge, her eyes trying to cover all the approaches as Scarlet, Kagura, and Strauss covered the other side of the truck.

"ARE YOU A SEX SLAVE YUKINO! I'LL KILL ALL THESE MAN SHITS AROUND YOU!" Moving to stand in front of the pinkette, the short mage began to leak magic as dozens of fluttering pieces of paper snapped into existence around her. "I'LL SHRED ALL OF YOU TO FUCKING PIECES YOU CANNIBALS!" The woman roared out as her desperation grew.

"Wh…what?" Yukino stuttered as Minerva halted in her tracks. Looking around, she could see all the other teams and mages with the same look of concern and confusion.

"Um…other Erza? You think we're cannibals?" Laxus asked as he looked at the woman wearing…flesh covered bones around her neck. It was gruesome…a chilling sight to see this other Erza pointing weapons at them all. Juvia took a step back, trying to protect Wendy from the mad woman as Cana moved to the side with Grey and Elfman. They were trying to surround these five, but why were they aiming weapons at their friends?

She shifted her chainsaw gun to point at him, her eyes betraying a fury and sorrowful life as the other Mira continued to stare down Natsu.

"You could be a rapist sex slaver…a man just waiting to capture us to use in some sort of sex dungeon! FUCK! YOU MIGHT MAKE ME FUCK ROMEO!" Scarlet shouted in horror as she took a step forward, her lips a snarl. "I'D RATHER DIE THAN BE YOUR SLAVE!" She screamed out as bits of viscera rolled down her chest plate.

"LAXUS WOULD NEVER DO THAT! He's had his problems like myself, but he's been learning to be a better man like me!" Jellal shouted to this double of Erza as her eyes turned to him…and he almost shivered at the glare he received.

"Jellal…I'm going to fucking kill you right here…" Scarlet uttered with horrific intent as she aimed her rifle toward the reformed mage.

"NO!" the native Erza shouted out as she stood in front of Jellal and spread her arms. "I won't let you kill him!"

Scarlet snarled as she tried to find a shot to kill the man she loathed. "MOVE! He could be plotting to make you a mind slave! To sell you to dark mages as some…fuck toy! I NEED TO KILL HIM!" Scarlet screamed out as Mikazuchi continued to aim at her twin. Dangles of intestine were still wrapped around her neck, the smell of decay and death like a cloud.

"Don't you dare interfere. It's Erza's right to kill the man that almost raped her. That almost killed the love of her life. You try to stop Scarlet…I'll flatten you with my gravity" the mermaid warned as her twin glared back.

"Jellal never committed such crimes! You would support the death of an unarmed man in public who payed his dues to society! Where is your honor!?" Kagura yelled at her twin who lowered her rifle somewhat.

"There is no honor on the battlefield as innocent lives are slaughtered by monsters…you would know that if you had ever taken a life" she answered back as her magic started to spike. _"If she has the same skills as I, this could be a problem"_

Mira approached her gore covered double, standing near Natsu as she tried to remain calm. This other…her was a mess of decayed flesh and chucks of vile entrails as a vertical scar traced upward from her left eyebrow.

"We're not cannibals…or slavers…or anything bad. We're just a group of friends competing in the Grand Magic Games…and your scaring a lot of people and the children in the stands" she said calmly as her twin aimed that…horrible looking weapon at her.

"_I can feel some of her magic…I don't think I can beat her. And that weapon…it's not like Bisca's magical guns. I have to remain calm…"_

"ENOUGH!" Hisui yelled out as she strode forward. Her face was regal in annoyance as the green dress flowed around her ankles. Hisui had heard enough as these five continued to point weapons at her subjects and endanger lives.

"Your highness! Stay back! They're dangerous!" Arcadios told the princess as she shook her head.

"No Arcadios…they're scared and traumatized. Can't you see their eyes? They're terrified right now…of us"

Stepping up toward the gun wielding Erza as she tried to find a way to murder Jellal, the princess looked the woman in the eye. Her nose twitched…the smell coming off of them from the gore was horrible…gut wrenching and vile. But she needed to protect her citizens from these heavily armed women.

"Lower your weapons. Nobody here are cannibals or rapists. These are all law abiding citizens that came to compete in the Grand Magic Games. Surely the Crocus you come from has the games as well?" Hisui inquired with a calm tone as she stared into Scarlets eyes.

"_Such horror and pain behind those orbs…and if I'm right…these women are from another Earthland. I love science fiction stories! No…keep your focus, Hisui"_

Scarlet lowered her rifle slowly, her gaze locked onto the princess before her. And damn it…she had that same ember of fire like the queen back home.

"Our Crocus is gone. It's nothing but a crater after you ordered the evacuation to the south and Levy dropped the hammer to kill the Rift worm. Countless lives have been lost" Scarlet informed the woman before her as Hisui took a step forward.

Her eyes watered. To hear that such a thing befell her beloved home…and she couldn't understand what a 'riftworm' was, but it sounded very bad.

"I'm…sorry. But please…lower your weapons. Your frightening my guards…the citizens in the stands. You even point deadly weapons at yourself twin. And your… Kagura spoke of Jellal almost killing the man you love? What would he do in this situation?"

Scarlet lowered the weapon further, her eyes darting to Natsu as she studied the male…and sighed. Lowering the lancer, Scarlet tried to wipe some of the gore from her forehead away as exhaustion and mental fatigue reared its head. This last stand-off had drained her…and the adrenaline would crash soon.

"My boyfriend Natsu would tell me to calm down and assess the situation. Only to kill Jellal if he proves that he's dangerous to myself or others"

"And he won't. Nobody here will. You have my word on it"

"Wait…I'M YOUR BOYFRIEND! AAAAHHH! ERZA IS GONNA KILL ME!" Natsu cried out as the fact finally registered in his simple mind. Glancing toward his own Erza, he saw her glaring…and blushing at the same time.

"I…I will punish you for having impure thoughts about that Natsu. But after this situation is handled" The knight vowed as she shook a fist lightly.

Letting out a short laugh at the situation, Scarlet gazed at M.J. and Mikazuchi. "Stand down for now. I believe her…LEVY! STAND DOWN!" Scarlet roared out as the shout carried to the other side.

"Tch! You better not be wrong, Scarlet!" McGarden shot back as she protected the broken Natsumi. Dispelling her fluttering paper, the blue haired woman lowered her weapon as she rested a gloved hand on the pinkette's shoulder.

"WWWOOOOW! WHAT A STAND-OFF FOLKS! BUT ONLY AT THE G.M.G WOULD SOMETHING CRAZY LIKE THIS HAPPEN! Let's see if one of them is willing to answer a few questions, shall we?" Jason echoed into the microphone as he approached this other Levy.

"YOOO LEVY! Where do you come from!? What do you think of Fairy Tail's chances? Do you have a boyfriend? And who's that on the ground!?"

Shoving the microphone near her chin still dripping with zombie gore, the short woman nodded as Natsumi's tears finally started to slow. But considering M.J. was now with her as some of the mages from Fairy Tail, Sabertooth and Mermaid Heel approached, they all felt the crisis had passed.

"Your still an idiot Jason. But…fuck it, why not?"

The words echoed through the stadium as Bisca covered Asuka's ears while glaring at Levy nearby in the stands. "Don't use such language around my little girl"

"It's not me! It's…that other me!" Levy shot back as several large screens homed in on the group.

"Hey! Her boobs are bigger than yours, Levy!" Happy cheered out…and promptly found himself in a headlock from the script mage.

"Take that back you furball!" she ordered with annoyance. After all, everybody knew Levy was defensive about her chest size…especially compared to the monsters like Erza, Lucy, and Cana.

"AAAH! JOY! HELP YOUR BABY BROTHER!"

"No. You deserve that" the pink exceed replied back as Levy continued to press her fist against Happy's head.

"AAAHHHHH! I'M SORRY!"

The guild drowned it out, especially Makarov and Gildarts who watched in morbid curiosity as this…other Levy grabbed the microphone.

"Let's see…where to start… I come from a war torn Earthland that has fewer than twelve million people left alive. Hundreds of millions have died to the locust horde and orbital bombardments that has depopulated whole countries. I'm an S-class mage and one of the strongest women on the damn continent. None of you here could even hope to defeat me in a battle to the death!" She roared as she pointed to Natsu nearby who was still looking in caution toward Erza and her…glaring.

"I'm in a harem of eleven women with Natsu as my man! The god damn king of Fiore and a fearsome soldier on the battlefield! HE CAN WASTE WHOLE CITIES IN ONE ATTACK HE'S SO FUCKING MANLY!" McGarden roared out as she jabbed a thumb at her chest.

"Unlike the Fairy Tail guild of this universe, we aren't fucking pussies about killing our enemies! We've slaughtered dark mages, liberated whole worlds from slavery and burned cities to ash! I've personally killed five hundred thirteen evil Romeo's that rape and commit slavery against women! I'm a fucking psychopathic genius that can build anything!"

Feeling the microphone wrested from her hand, Scarlet took it away as she took a turn with a heavy sigh.

"Ignore Levy, she's mentally damaged"

"No, I'm not! Give that back! Or I'll go have sex with Natsu right here, right now!"

"You will do no such lewd things…In public. All manners of relations should be done behind closed doors"

"_That's what she's worried about?"_ Sting and several others thought as Natsu gained a horrible hinting to his face. Looking at Gajeel, he could feel the animosity waving off the man who had something with their own Levy.

Clearing her throat as exhaustion wracked her body, Scarlet spoke into the microphone.

"I am Lieutenant Erza Scarlet. I'm a soldier and have killed many men and monsters on the field of battle. The war's we have fought…are nothing compared to anything your world has. You are all soft…weak. You don't know the terror…the sadness of lost family. Of being almost raped by a childhood friend who tried to kill my boyfriend Natsu" She glared at Jellal, making him shrink back as she spoke once more.

"There was an accident with our Dimensional gate…and our group was flung across the multiverse with no way home. I've killed men in far off lands that you can't even think off…and it was carnage…blood and death everywhere as I burned some soldiers alive for the simple fact they tried to kill me. And when we 'shifted' again…we found ourselves among a global infection of walking corpses….THE DEAD TRIED TO EAT US! WE WERE ALMOST GANG-RAPED BY RAIDERS…But I beat them to death with my bat…and in our last hours there…we became trapped. And the only way to escape was to act like them…smell like them" She paused, pulling a strand of gristle from her scarlet locks. "I have dead people in my hair…in order to survive. I'm so fucking tired…" she blinked as her eyes lit up before pointing at Hisui with clarity. She finally remembered what happens at the G.M.G.

"YOU NEED TO DESTROY THAT TIME GATE! IT'S A TRAP TO BRING TEN THOUSAND DRAGONS TO THE FUTURE! YOUR WORLD WILL BURN IN THREE DAYS IF YOU DON'T!"

"Wh…but that's to save our country?" Hisui whispered as M.J. Strode up and spoke into the microphone, interrupting Scarlet who pursed her lips in annoyance.

"Whatever, do what you want princess. I'm going to get a shower, some food, and sleep. Oh! That's Natsumi and I also date Natsu…and…Raven Tail is already cheating. Their guild master is the masked guy. Have fun with your games or whatever" Mira finished as she helped Natsumi into the truck.

"Let's go. I'm sure we can find a place for now"

"Well, we have four and a half days here. I'm sure I can fuck something up by then" Levy smirked as she climbed into the truck after Erza.

"Your so fucked up it's not even funny" Kagura grinned as she ignored the doubles around her.

"H…hey! You can't leave!" Arcadios shouted at the five…and promptly received the middle finger from Mira as she slid onto the driver's seat.

"Fuck off dumbass. You didn't even survive a single fire-fight against the grubs" Strauss scowled as she started the transport.

The engine revved…and the woman floored it to the open gate as Levy leaned out the window with a grin. "GAJEEL LIKES TO WEAR WOMEN'S UNDERWEAR! AND ROUGE IS THE WEAKEST DRAGON SLAYER! AND CANA'S BOOZE IS MINE!"

"What the hell!" the man with piercings shouted after the retreating truck as it left the stadium.

"Hehe…she might smell like death, but that other Levy is right. You do like girls panties you pervert" Natsu laughed with a pointed finger.

"SHUT UP YOU JACKASS! NO, I DON'T!"

"Your missing the bigger picture! She might find my alcohol!" Cana panicked as she pulled at her hair. All that other stuff they were telling them was bad…but her booze? That would be catastrophic!

"You drink too much already!" Juvia said in a low shout to her team-mate.

"Erza? What…what should we do? Those versions of us have killed people. What if they attack some innocents?" Kagura inquired her friend who shook her head.

"I don't know…but we need to keep an eye on them. That double is mine is closer to Knightwalker than myself" She paused, looking at her team that would depend on her strength in the coming contest. Then…her cheeks heated as she looked at Natsu. _"Has…has that other me performed adult actions with Natsu? What…what if they come back for him and perform…lewdness! They might tie him up and wear provocative clothing! And a harem! I…how does she do it! It's just like my smu-romance novels!"_

"Miss Scarlet, don't worry. I'll have some of my guards pursue them to make sure they don't cause a disturbance. You just concentrate on the games" Hisui offered as Sting chuckled.

"Yeah! I bet I could've taken those five! I mean paper? I'd go through that like a dragon slayer!"

"No…they're killers…all of them. And you can't guess their capabilities" Minerva warned as she eyed Scarlet still blushing…and then Natsu who was now shouting at the iron slayer. _"Hmmm? Is this a weakness I can exploit?"_

"Mr. Jason. Inform the audience that the games will begin as scheduled. Unfortunately with this…development, I must attend to my duties" princess Hisui informed the announcer as warm sunlight reflected off her green hair and jewelry.

"Of course! I'll let the fans know!"

"Cosmos, Kamika, with me. We will find this group and make sure they don't endanger any lives. Arcadios? Take the rest of the knights to the time gate. Make sure nobody approaches…" She paused in mid-step, eyeing the mages of Raven Tail.

"Arcadios…make sure that guild isn't cheating"

"Yes, your highness!" the men and women shouted as the introductions were resumed…

**Half an hour later…**

The girls had somehow found the same hotel that the mages from Fairy Tail were staying at, but since they were all busy competing, the building was empty save for the five. Parking the truck behind the hotel, the females didn't waste another second as they made a beeline for the upper bedroom's with showers. The fact that some of these rooms were…taken by their own dopplegangers didn't bother them in the slightest. They were covered in drying, gore encrusted filth…and needed cascading water to wash this horrific grime away as the five busty babes stripped down in three different bedrooms.

"Ahhhhh!" Erza groaned out as she stepped under the blasting jet of water. It was comfortably hot, and started to do its job in moments as rivulets of blood and pieces of other filth fell to the tiled floor. Cascading over her large, bountiful breasts, the knight felt stunning relief as her hair became damp.

"It's like heaven…" Mira whispered as she felt the hot water pour down her cheeks. Channels of filth and dry gore washed down her slender waist and hips, pooling near the drain as the two women showered in stunning, nude glory among flowing steam.

"Indeed…I was worried I would start attracting flies..hehe" the red haired woman replied to her friend as she picked up a bottle of shampoo. Starting to wash her long, scarlet locks, Erza turned to Mira as the other did the same.

"Too bad we don't have our man here. We could finally team up against him"

"Your such a pervert, but we really should. Mira and Erza…satisfying their man!" She fist pumped…then slowly lowered the appendage. Running some tired fingers along her hairline, she glanced at her nude sister. "We might've over-reacted out there…"

"It's fine. Nobody got shot or killed, and our worries were justified. And if someone like Romeo, Macao or…the blue bastard try to harm us or innocents, we slay them" Scarlet paused as her nipples started to harden. Seeing Natsu…it made her long for his touch…his strong arms…his gravelly voice. All she wanted to do was curl up in bed and…just be held, even if it was just a little while.

"_Or have some hot sex with him!"_ Her inner pervert screamed as her mind wandered.

"He's not our Natsu…but if he's open to…relieving some of our stress, I say we go for it. Our own man has fucked different Erza's and Mira's…along with Lucy and her mom with Ur. If we can't do the same then he's a hypocrite and deserves a major ass-kicking when we reunite"

"Fine by me. It's been months and months already…and using my fingers gets boring" Lifting her hair, Erza turned her finely toned ass to Mira as more water dripped and ran down their lustful bodies. Most of the gore, grime and filth had washed away, but she wanted to be sure.

"Wash my back…and I'll get yours next"

"Are you gonna get all horny and try to kiss me?" Mira asked with a teasing giggle as she grabbed a sponge. Soaking up some water, the white haired beauty came closer as she started to run the sponge down her friends back. Eyeing the old scar from Montevado, Mira took extra care over the rough patch as hot water continued to flow down her large busom.

"It's no fun without Natsu, Mira. We need his man-meat" Erza stated firmly with a hint of lust as the two women continued to wash away the blood and horror of the walking dead universe…

**7:14 p.m. The street outside the Inn**

"Don't worry Luce! We'll do even better tomorrow!" Natsu said with burning confidence toward his blonde friend who was still downtrodden. Fairy Tail was still in last place after the first day…and she was still depressed about it.

"If you say so…" she replied as Levy strode up next to her.

"You did great Lucy! You were so amazing…despite the disturbance caused by Raven Tail"

"I still can't believe that other Mira was right about them. My old man…cheating with the hopes of forcing me into a corner…despicable" Laxus glowered with his team.

"Do…do you guys think that what they were saying was true? About global wars against…monsters? And that other Levy killing so many Romeo's?" Mira asked as she glanced at the teenager who had his head down. He was a nice, young man…not a mean bone in his body as Makarov gave his own, weary sigh.

"Truth or not, those five were clearly traumatized by something. And that poor woman crying…" He trailed off, spotting Kamika and Cosmos hiding behind some barrels across from the inn they were staying at. The two were trying to peer into the darkened windows, but the lowering sun made it difficult.

"Um…can we help you?" The short man asked as the mages came near.

"Don't draw attention to us! Those five are inside that building!" Cosmos hissed loudly as she pointed. The sunlight was pouring through the windows, but the glare was too much as nobody could see inside from this angle.

"They're not very ninja-like, Natsu…" Happy observed as the man nodded.

"Hardly ninja at all"

Covering his face with Igneel's scarf, the man moved toward the inn as Happy and Joy fluttered behind.

"I'll sneak in and observe. Let's go you two!" Natsu said much too loudly as his friends and family groaned.

"Idiot…wait…If those five are inside…MY BOOZE!" Cana shouted in fear as she ran to the door. She only had five barrels of wine to drink and that other Levy looked way too crazy!

"Cana wait! If those women are inside it could be dangerous!" Erza said in a stern manner as she pursued the other woman through the now open doorway. Her speed almost had her bowl over Natsu and Cana, the two looking toward the bar with a sense of dread. There sat Natsumi, her facial scars lit up by the passing sunlight. A patchwork of a nightmarish past greeted the mages as Cana gave a light gulp.

"_We couldn't see those scars under the gore…is…who would do something like that to a woman?"_

'_**Click'**_

Tthe cocking of a gun sounded in their ears as Makarov and many more peered in from the doorway…including Cosmos and Kamika who glared.

"Your all so fucking noisy. If we were on the last world, half of you would probably be dead already. I mean…those two can't even sneak right" Natsumi said with a wave of her gun toward the military knights with a sigh. Lowering the weapon, she set in on the polished bar as she slowly picked up her whiskey. Throwing it back with one gulp, it burned down her throat as she waved without a care.

"I'm not gonna shoot any of you. The five of us were really fucked up and I…I…" Her hand shook, prompting the pinkette to pour another glass and gulp it down just as quickly.

"Where are the others?" Cosmos asked as she walked forward, her right hand hovering near her sword.

"Sleeping…I had a couple hours earlier. All I can manage before the nightmares get too bad. So, I'm standing guard…like it fucking matters"

"I should secure their weapons and restrain them…they pointed unknown guns at the princess" Kamika stated as Natsumi shook her head. Glaring at the woman, her horrid scars were even more detailed as Natsumi poured a third drink.

"Don't do that. If you try, they might kill you by accident. Those four are veteran soldiers. They've been thrown into the crucible of global conflicts. That version of Levy? Could kill everybody in this building with ease. None of you would stand a chance against them"

Sipping her whiskey, Cosmos stood near her as the guild mages watched in silence.

"Why did you break down and cry? The others seemed to know what to do, but you didn't"

"I don't want to talk about it"

"I need to make a report to the princess about you five, and your friends…microphone rant was…I'm not sure? Madness?"

"Seems about right for them. I really don't know if their homeworld is over-run with monsters though. It's just been stories by them…" the scarred woman whispered as she drank some more. The alcohol burned, making her eyes water lightly.

"You're not from their world?" Gajeel asked with curiosity.

"No…I'm not. We met up in West Virginia by chance. Of course, I was living on the road for months by then…just trying to stay alive…one step ahead of the walkers"

"Can't you return to your home? I'm sure your loved one's miss yo—" Kamika started before Natsumi turned with hurtful rage across her broken eyes.

"MY WORLD IS GONE! EVERYBODY I LOVED! DEAD! MURDERED AND TORTURED BY DEMONS!" She screamed before pointing at her face. "THIS! THEY CARVED INTO ME FOR FUN! FOR AMUSEMENT! HAPPY! ERZA! LUCY! MY BEST FRIEND JUVIA! ALL DEAD! EVERYBODY! EVERYWHERE! AND THEY FUCKING LAUGHED ABOUT IT!" she howled in rage before jabbing the bodyguard in the chest.

"You think I give a flying fuck about your stupid report? Or if we scared some kids in the stands!? I've killed a man for a bottle of water and six fucking bullets as walking corpses clawed outside!" She yelled once more as she stood up. Glaring around the room, she looked at all of them in turn.

"None of you can imagine the hell I've lived through…the suffering I've endured…" she told the mages in harshness as she walked toward the exit.

"Natsumi! Wait! We didn't mea—" Mira started to say, but was promptly interrupted.

"Just leave me the fuck alone"

Exiting through the doorway, the broken survivor walked down the street, leaving the mages in silence.

"That poor woman…" Makarov whispered solemnly as Cosmos and Kamika sighed. They wanted to get some information, but it was quite clear that woman's mind was fragile and prone to outbursts. They would get nothing more from her tonight.

"Juvia…Juvia will go and keep an eye on her" the rainwoman said sadly. If all that was true…it broke her heart. She couldn't imagine losing all her loving family to monsters…or fighting walking corpses for months.

"Very well, but be wary. I don't believe she will hurt you, but you could push her further away if you press too hard"

"Of course, master. Juvia will be careful" the water mage replied before hurrying out through the doorway into the sticky warmth of summer.

"We will stay here for the night. Those other four are still here and we will still need to ensure they aren't a threat to the public safety or the princess" Kamika informed the mages as she moved to a table and sat down. Cosmos joined her, the two trying not to be awkward as Natsu tapped his foot.

He was mad. Somebody had hurt the…girl-him! And he wanted to beat them up! Sure, it was really weird. That other Mira and Erza liked him like Bisca cares for Alzack! But he needed to do something!

"STUPID MONSTERS! WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT TO HER!" The man yelled as he ran toward the door…and disappeared into the night.

"NATSU! WAIT FOR US!" Happy and Joy said in a worried outburst as the exceeds flew on magical wings.

"That kind-hearted fool…He won't be able to fix that girls problems with a simple pep-talk. The trauma will linger for her whole life" Evergreen said in a knowing voice as she waved a hand. "I don't feel like partying tonight. This whole day was a wash"

Climbing the stairs to her room, she voiced the thoughts of many as the fall of night finally blanketed the city. And if one were to search, they would find Natsumi at the banks of the river…crying more tears as Juvia, Natsu and the exceeds watched over her until she cried herself to sleep…

**The next day 8:15 a.m.**

Happy and Joy were sleeping peacefully on the bed, the two exceeds snuggled up to Natsumi who seemed to be shifting uncomfortably. She was still in her normal attire as her body twitched. This caught the attention of Natsu and Juvia, the two across the room in separate sleeping bags as the summer day roared its head.

Sunlight poured through the window, making the rain woman sit up and rub the sleep from her eyes. Glancing over at Natsu, the beautiful brunette huffed.

"_Why couldn't Grey be in the room with Juiva! Maybe he would've confessed his feelings of love!" _

Her delusions were painstakingly clear to Natsu as the man sat up and turned to the sleeping woman on the bed.

"No…no…NO!" Natsumi cried out as she screamed awake. Shooting upright, Happy and Joy were flung to the floor.

"AAAAHHHH! MY SLEEP!"

"MY HEAD!"

Grasping for her trusty pistol on the night stand, her hand clutched nothing but air as her eyes widened. Her weapon wasn't there! The dead were coming…trying to rip her to pieces!

Rolling of the mattress, she did the nest best thing and proceeded to grab the bedside table. Hefting it above her head, her breasts gave a light jiggle under her shirt as rage crossed her face.

"I WON'T LET YOU EAT ME YOU UNDEAD FUCKS!"

"NATSUMI! It's us! Your safe at the inn!" Juvia shouted to the woman who promptly blinked. Lowering the table a bit, her voice was cautious.

"How…how did I get back? I was at the river…"

"We carried you here after you fell asleep from crying! Did you know your boobs are squishy girl me? For some reason Juvia got mad at me when I accidentally touched them" Natsu told the busty pinkette as he tapped his foot in concentration. "Come to think of it, they're just as big as Lucy's from that one time…but she got mad when I saw them and kicked me? Why would she kick me, we're friends!" Natsu concluded as Juvia gave a dead-panned stare to the man.

Lowering the table, Natsumi set it down as a low bit of laughter escaped her lips. The four watched in earnest, her laughter getting louder as she vented the nightmares from her dreams.

"Hehehe…your so stupid with women its funny. You…Natsu, I'm gonna have to teach you how to properly interact with females…and not to compare the squishiness of breasts" she laughed again as Natsu looked confused.

"I don't get it? I get along with all the women in our hall great! They're my family!" the fire mage shouted with pride as the female slayer shook her head.

"You poor, stupid man…" Feeling her stomach rumble and scream, the pinkette gripped her abdomen as gnawing hunger crashed against her body.

"OHHHH! Girl Natsu is hungry! We should get her some fish!" Happy drooled, his mind already wandering. Getting a slap behind the head, Joy glared at him.

"Not everything can be solved with fish, brother. But I'm sure Mira is awake. She probably could make something for our new friend"

"You can call me Natsumi…I'm sorry, just who are you?"

"I'm Joy, Happy's big sister" the pink exceed stated proudly as she seemed to stand taller.

"Only by five minutes!" Happy shot back as Joy gave a smug answer.

"That means I'm five minutes wiser than you"

"NOOOO! AHHH! NATSU!" Happy cried as his sister gave him a light teasing.

"It's nice to meet you Joy…you…never existed in my world" Natsumi whispered softly as light hit her facial scars. A few tears trickled down her marred cheeks, making the woman remember as Juvia came up and wrapped an arm around her in comfort.

"Juvia will walk you downstairs. You'll feel better after some food"

"Yeah…um…thanks…for getting me here"

"Anytime"

"AAAHHH! MIRA'S COOKING! I CAN SMELL IT! TIME FOR EATING!" Natsu suddenly cheered out as he ran toward the door and kicked it open.

"FISSSHYYY!" Happy echoed as he fluttered his wings and followed the excitable man downstairs.

"Those two idiots…" Joy shook her head as she flew up and landed on Natsumi's left shoulder. Smiling at the pinkette, the trio made their way downstairs…

"What did you say you blue haired bitch!" Cosmos shouted at McGarden who was standing in the middle of the gathering room with a wide smirk.

Around her most of the guild was watching in anticipation if the knight and this…busty Levy would fight. At a nearby table, Scarlet and Kagura were cleaning their weapons of…gore, the duo using a slop bucket for the strands of horrific gristle and dead skin. Obviously, the mages gave them a wide berth as the two worked.

Erza was watching her twin closely, her suspicion not quelled as her double in…a grayish tank-top and cargo pants continued to clean…that horrific bat of hers. Studying it, she could almost _feel_ the bloodlust of the weapon. Turning her chocolate eyes toward the kitchen, she observed Mira and M.J. with Lisanna and Kinana preparing meals. Honestly, with how these mages behaved yesterday, it was surprising to see this other Mira cook…but since she received a slice of strawberry cheesecake Erza would overlook the matter.

Taking a bite of heaven, she was vaguely aware of Natsu, Juvia, Natsumi and the two exceeds coming down from the upper floor as McGarden stared down the Garou knight.

"I said the Natsu I know has literally fucked Hisui into a ten hour coma…along with Bisca. She became one of the sisters that day and your Hisui should do the same!" the scarred bluenette shouted to Cosmos who glared.

"OUR PURE PRINCESS WOULD NEVER LOSE HERSELF TO LUST!"

"OUR'S DID! AND SHE'S NOT A PRINCESS! BUT THE FUCKING EMERALD QUEEN! AND SHE SOMEHOW BECAME THE FIRST WIFE BEFORE ME YOU CRIMSON BITCH!"

"YOU BLUE HAIRED GNOME! NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT HOW YOUR KING TOOK HISUI'S VIRTUE!"

"HOW COULD SHE NOT! NINE INCHES OF MEAT WITH HIS SCARRED MUSCLES AND HIGH INTELLIGENCE! HE COULD SEDUCE YOU OUT OF YOUR PANTIES RIGHT NOW IF HE WAS HERE!"

"YOU THINK I'D JUST SLEEP WITH A MAN ON THE FIRST MEETING! I'M NOT SOME DWARF WHORE!"

"Are we going to just ignore the fact that I'm part of this…weird harem?" Bisca asked with a shudder as Alzack held her close. Watching the argument unfold, many of the members couldn't believe this was an actual argument.

"By Mavis…this is so embarrassing…" Levy whispered with a dusting of pink on her cheeks.

"WHY YOU! I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!" McGarden and Cosmos roared, head-butting each other as their eyes glared.

"Hey everybody! Breakfast is ready! And McGarden…please calm down. If Hisui of this world doesn't seek to pursue Natsu, then that's her own horrible, stupid, unforgivable mistake" M.J. grinned with a crackling aura as she started to bring out plates of delicious breakfast. Setting it down near the bickering women, M.J. gave another deadly grin as she walked back to the kitchen.

"Grr…fine" the scientist agreed as she grabbed a beer from the bar and sat with her group of friends. Taking a deep gulp, the borderline psychopath soon went for the actual meal as Kagura sighed.

"Can you at least wait till noon to drink?"

"No"

"HEY! SHE HAS THE RIGHT IDEA! MIRA SOME BOO-" Cana started to shout from the bar before M.J. walked up and shook her head.

"No…you've had too much already. Besides, McGarden will need her thinking juice. So, all your alcohol is hers now"

"No…I…"

Cana slithered to the ground, her eyes betraying a fresh hell of suffering as the alcohol was denied.

"She actually went into shock!" Lucy exclaimed in a panic as the lush withered away. Watching as Natsumi stepped over the poor brunette, the guild watched the pinkette sat at the bar and helped herself to the food as Juvia sat next to her. A plate of pancakes and eggs…a mountain of bacon and orange juice. It looked like the best meal of her life.

"Are you feeling better today, Natsumi?"

"A little bit…"

Taking a bite of bacon, the girls eyes watered as she chewed on the delectable meat. It…was delicious!

"Master! Don't make her cry!" Erza scolded as she stood up, her gauntleted palms pressed against the table with indignation.

"She's just happy to eat something that's not from a can. Probably the best meal she's had in a very long time" Kagura told the double as she stood up with purpose.

"You will all give her patience and comfort. After all, this will be her new home from now on"

"What? But isn't she going with you when you…shift or whatever?" Grey inquired as Juvia stared at him. Looking away, he could still feel her eyes on his back.

"No. Her world is gone and she needs a new home. A place with good people and a chance for her to achieve a happy life" Scarlet paused, her task of cleaning 'Strawberry' complete as she glanced at her twin nearby.

"Natsumi's place will be here. I can tell your good people that would look out for her"

"And how can you tell that?" Laxus asked as M.J. turned to him from the bar.

"Well, if you were bad people, we would probably kill you, Laxus. Luckily, we've spent enough time around the depraved and vileness of humanity to gain a…'sense' of a person if you will. None of you fall into that category. If you did, they wouldn't find your bodies"

The fact that M.J. was smiling the whole time was extremely unsettling for many who lightly backed away in fear.

"….Your really scary, you know that?"

"Obviously"

"Well….I've never been one to turn away a person in need…especially after such loss…" Makarov contemplated as he smiled toward the scarred woman. "If you wish to stay, I'll give you a home. Just…don't go pointing deadly weapons at my children anymore"

Sniffling lightly as she chewed some more bacon, Natsumi gulped hard.

"I'll…try…"

Her voice was hoarse and soft, a mixture of pain and relief as McGarden jumped up, and promptly knocked over Cosmos.

"HOLY FUCKING SPACE POPE! THAT'S GREAT! AND! AND I'LL GET WORKING ON SOME SCIENCE STUFF TO HEAL YOUR SCARS! AND SOME SHIT FOR SCARLET SO SHE CAN RE-EQUIP FUCKING ARSENALS AGAIN! PLUS….AH FUCK! I NEED SOME HIGH GRADE QUANTUM STUFF FROM THAT TIME GATE! TIME TO GO ROB AND STEAL!" McGarden shouted as she hopped on the bar to grab a bottle of alcohol…then promptly shot through the door in a mad sprint.

"Wait…Is she going to destroy government property?" Kamika asked Cosmos who groaned on the floor.

"WHO CARES! JUST GO AFTER HER KAMIKA!"

Stepping back, the paper mage didn't waste another moment as she ran after the madwoman, her eyes brimming with justice as Cosmos continued to groan on the wooden floor.

Looking down at the fallen guard, Scarlet didn't really see the issue of chasing Levy as she stood tall and swung her bat. The nails and barb wire glistened in the sun, the rays of light hitting it just right as the Gear smiled.

"There you go baby…all nice and clean…"

"You act more evil than righteous. No normal person would brag about using…that bat to kill" Erza stated to her double who gave a prompt nod.

"You judge me…and have no concept of the life I've lived. You're like a naïve child that has lived in a padded room of teddy bears and sunshine"

Scarlet glared at her twin, her voice darkening with anger and malice. "I've killed men who forced Evergreen into seven man gang-bangs as they made her into a personal cum-dump in the sex slave universe. Slaughtered locust and the living dead and other horrors you can't imagine. Fought through lakes of blood and rained burning swords onto Bosconian cities. You would be just like me if you had to do what I've done…" Scarlet wavered as she lowered the bat. It was a torrent of repressed memories…years of battle against some of the most vile things in existence. The Gear went quiet, the barb-wire bat lightly gripped as Bisca covered Asuka's ears from…that revelation.

"Wait…what happened to me!?" Evergreen yelled in horror. She had turned pale, almost sick from those words as several others gulped heavily. They just…couldn't comprehend somebody doing that to Evergreen.

"Don't worry about it. Just know that we liberated a whole world of women from the bonds of sex-slavery caused by Jellal and his ancestors" M.J. told the brunette as Lucy gulped.

"That…sounds horrible…"

"It was. I had to kill the Elfman of that world for his crimes against females. Almost every male in this room here raped and enslaved your doubles. Levy had to kill Jet and Droy if I remember correctly…" The white haired beauty stated as she pressed a finger to her lips. Eyes widening, she pointed at Elfman with a withering glare. "You better be fucking manly and treat women with respect!"

"Of course! Only a manly man can treat women with manly kindness!" the muscular male roared out as Makarov turned to the three…visitors with a wary eye.

"If…if you promise to leave your weapons here and not cause a disturbance, you can watch the games with our guild"

"That sounds fun! And it's better than sitting in our rooms all day!" Kagura cheered out. Looking at the battle hardened Scarlet, the red head nodded.

"It would be…nice to see something fun for a change…so long as I get a strawberry cheesecake to eat"

"_Some things never change…"_ The guild thought at the woman who smiled smugly at the thought of her favorite dessert…

**12:00 p.m. The Grand Magic Games**

The crowds were immense among the thoroughfares lines with souvenir stalls, food vendors and drink fountains. Children laughed with their parents, holding balloons or stuffed animals as they skipped along, their faces bright with excitement. Men and women bought beer and soft drinks, opting for nachos, hot dogs, and other overpriced food as the stands filled in the coliseum proper. The fact that Fairy Tail was among them was barely registered. After all, they were still the last placed guild…and nobody really paid them much mind as hundreds moved toward their seats.

But with the first matches only an hour away and the discovered cheating of Raven tail, the teams were consolidated as Natsu, Erza, Grey, Laxus, Gajeel and Juvia in reserve were waiting in some distant room for the first battle among the other mages.

Of course, despite Makarov's request, Natsumi still carried her gun as eyes darted to and fro. Walking next to Scarlet as M.J. hung back with her twin and Kagura, the two females seemed to plow a road through the crowds just by sheer presence alone. Feeling a gaze dig into her back, the woman with many scars looked over her shoulder at Cosmos who was watching their every move.

"Tell me…Natsumi? Why do you insist on carrying that firearm despite today's peaceful festivities?" Cosmos asked the woman before her as the pinkette scoffed.

"And risk being unarmed if people start eating each other? Or some other monsters attack from those alcoves and try to kill me? This is the only course of action to defend myself"

"That won't happen! Your being paranoid!"

"No…she isn't. I have all my weapons and armor in my re-equip space to call forth in an instant if the undead attack" Scarlet answered truthfully as Cosmos sighed. Turning to Kagura, the garou knight tried to reason with the Mermaid.

"Can you please talk some sense into them? What if they go crazy and shoot some innocent civilians?"

Kagura paused…then promptly clamped her palm over the guards mouth like a vice. Dragging her to a nearby corner as several of the Fairy Mages walked on, the gravity caster lowered her voice. "You really don't want to say that around Erza. Some of her first battles against the locust were positively nightmarish. In order to save thousands…she had to open fire on innocent men, women and children that the grubs used as human shields…she almost died that day. She is one of the most prominent soldiers of our world. You…you are a novice to her…somebody that does not understand sacrifice or the burden of leaving whole towns to die. You think she's afraid of you or retribution? She is not. Now for the last time, drop the issue and let us have a fun few days"

Removing her hand, Kagura looked sternly at Cosmos who blinked heavily, then lowered her gaze.

"Tell me…does the Cosmos of your world fight these…locust creatures?"

"She does. The queen has also faced them on the battlefield in cities that are gone now. So much…is just gone…" Kagura said in a lower voice before looking back at Cosmos.

"You probably won't hear it from the others…but we over-reacted yesterday. We just…D.C. was such a nightmare…and the dead were tracking us constantly…then suddenly we're surrounded in an unknown Crocus. For all we knew, you might've tried to kill us…"

"I…I guee-!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WANT MONEY!?" Natsumi roared at a food vendor nearby as she pointed her firearm at the terrified attendant. Her scarred face was quivering with anger…and was drawing a crowd.

"Dammit!" Cosmos roared out, her hands freeing her blade as she ran forward.

"Shit! Don't engage her!" Kagura shouted after, her heavy boots slamming against the concrete as the duo closed on the pinkette and the other mages.

"YOU BASTARD! You think you can charge jewel for fucking food!? I've eaten sewer rats to survive! Money!? Is that all you care about!?"

"NATSUMI! Lower that weapon! He's just trying to make a living!" Makarov yelled as he rushed forward to the traumatized woman.

"NO! By the law of survival the strong take from the weak! He should know that!" she yelled while cocking the hammer.

"Natsumi! Please! Calm down! Your scaring everybody! Didn't your old world have money? I'm sure you completed jobs for your old guild?" Cana asked with fear as Cosmos ran up, her sword brandished as the dragon slayer wavered.

"We…we did…I…did do…jobs…but that was…money is worthless on the road…" the woman stuttered as Lucy stepped forward…and wrapped her arms around the pinkette's waist. Pressing her bosom into the woman's back, the blonde tried to reach her.

"I know…I know I'll never replace 'your' Lucy, but your safe here. You don't have to rob or steal…or kill. We can…we can be friends"

"I…I…" Natsumi wavered, her arm lowering as Makarov walked up and clasped her free hand.

"It's okay my child…you've been through far too much. More than I can ever imagine"

Taking a deep breath, Natsumi finally calmed down as she gulped. She…she was just…

"Am I broken?" She asked softly, her eyes brimming with fresh pain.

"You need to heal…and Fairy Tail is willing to help you" The kind, old man said with a warming smile. Extending his other hand, Natsumi looked down at it…then her gun. Palm quivering, she set the weapon in his palm as her marred cheeks and brow seemed to drip sadness.

"I…I'm…sorry about this…I ruined everything…" she almost cried as the master shook his head in disagreement.

"Nonsense…let's go and watch the games. I'm sure it will do wonders for you"

"Okay…"

Feeling herself tugged along by Lucy and Cana, the master turned toward Mira as her twin stood nearby.

"Please hold onto this until she is ready to hold it again"

Turning away, he eyed Scarlet leaning against a wall…eating a slice of cheesecake.

"YOU WERE EATING DESSERT THIS WHOLE TIME!?"

"It's delicious"

"You're part of her group! You could've stopped her at anytime!" Levy shouted out as she pointed to the cheesecake loving woman with annoyance. Fairy Tail was already considered a loser guild, they didn't need this kind of attention.

Eating another delectable bite, Scarlet was far to enthralled by the strawberry goodness as her eyes closed in happiness. She was so lost in dessert bliss that she didn't even hear Levy's complaints as the crowd of gawkers broke apart.

"I don't think she heard you" Pantherlily observed as the woman chewed with utmost satisfaction. _"Based on what we know, its possible that this other version of Erza hasn't had her dessert in months. To disturb her would be risky…"_ the exceed concluded as many in the guild reached the same destination of thought. Their own Erza was scary with cheesecake…this one might actually break their bones…

"Such heavenly dessert…"

Knowing her friend was ignoring them all, Strauss spoke up in her place as she glanced at Levy to her right. "She already trusts us, and among the walkers and crazed survivors, that was normal. But now she's showing the first signs of trust…which your guild will need to do for her. The things she told us…all the torture she endured? It's no joke. We're lucky she isn't some raving lunatic" Strauss finished as she walked off, ready to enjoy the festivities.

"But…how do we help somebody like that?" Carla asked, her wings fluttering above Wendy as the four exceeds hovered among them.

"Patience" Kagura told them as she joined Scarlet who finished her cake, the two walking after M.J. to find some seats.

"I really hope Kamika is having an easier time than I am. I really don't want to arrest a torture survivor for having an episode" Cosmos muttered as she ran a fine hand through her hair. Watching the remaining mages heading to their seats, the woman followed. After all, she still had Hisui's orders to keep an eye on these women.

**The Time Gate…an hour later…**

Levy walked along the mostly deserted street, her head tilted back as she took a long pull of alcohol. The stadium built upon the nearby mountain was roaring with cheers and joy as the games second day finally started. It would be even more entertaining than the first, at least that's what many passerby's were saying as they hurried into bars to watch on magical wall screens.

Dodging some running children, Levy let out a content sigh as she drank some more.

"Ahhh…that's the spot!" She grinned as the government constructed temporal gate rose into view across the river near the royal palace. Panning her eyes across the skyline, Levy could instantly tell of many differences.

"Man…it's like they don't even have the ability to build skyscrapers? And where are the helicopters or freeway systems?"

She pinched her nose, finally remembering that the average Earthland was based on magic. Odds are, this place didn't even have airplanes yet. Walking across the bridge as the sun poured warmth on her face, Levy could feel her spirits lift higher.

"HOLD IT!"

"Huh?"

Kamika ran up, her face flushed red as Levy glanced over her shoulder. Seeing who it was, the mage merely shrugged as she continued walking toward the palace grounds with purpose. The gates were closed, the metal bars glistening with polished reflection as several hundred Rune Knights stood at the ready with Arcadios. Next to him with a grim look was Princess Hisui, her palms clasped around a short sword as her green hair fluttered. Next to her under emergency orders was Minerva Orland, her blue dress showing off far too much cleavage as her red lips seemed to hitch upward to a smile. And behind the Sabertooth mage was the surprising sight of Sorano Agria. The Dark mage had been spotted by the princess…and promised leniency if she assisted in the protection of the time gate from this dangerous woman.

"I WON'T LET YOU DESTROY GOVERNMENT PROPERTY!" Kamika shouted once more as Levy stopped before the mass of troops. Taking another pull of whiskey, she shook her head.

"Man Kamika…can you chill the fuck out? At least talk in a normal tone" She asked as she glanced at Sorano. Waving with a grin, the scientist was completely calm.

"Yo Agria! Looking good! Are you a body guard for Hisui too? If you are, you should really say hi to your sister"

"Silence weakling! I have a chance to be free of my past! All I have to do is protect this gate from your…plans and I receive a full pardon! YOU WILL NOT DENY ME THIS CHANCE!" Angel shouted as she stepped forward.

"I concur. Your presence yesterday was unexpected. But no matter. We will defeat you and I will return to the games and beat Erza in battle. A true test of my abilities" Minerva added with smugness as she leaned forward, her large breasts shifting in her dress.

"RUNE KNIGHTS! PREPARE FOR BATTLE! DO NOT LET THIS WOMAN PAST THE GATE!" Arcadios roared as the two hundred fifty men lowered their magical blast staffs.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, McGarden massaged her temples before turning to Kagura.

"Yo. Hold my booze. I want to make a cool speech and all show off my magic"

"I'm not doing that! What's wrong with you!?" The woman barked as she pointed her blade at the bluenette.

"But I don't want to drink the whole thing right now…"

Taking another gulp, she wiped away the excess liquor around her mouth before setting the bottle down on the brick lined road.

"You know Hisui, I have an awesome respect for you back home. Same with Sorano along with Kamika there. You fight the grubs. Hell, Sorano was inside the riftworm with my man. Makes me wonder when she'll admit to herself and want to join the sisterhood"

Levy paused, taking a step forward as sunlight reflected off her hair. Taking another step, the assemblage of humans gripped their weapons as the short woman unleashed her magical pressure…and summoned thousands of spinning, swirling pieces of parchment. Minerva gulped, her eyes going wide as she finally realized….how outclassed she was. It was immense…greater than even her fathers magic as she tried to remain standing.

"Hu…ngh…" Angel gasped as she dropped to one knee, the sword clattering to the ground as sweat formed on her brow.

Hisui fell, her body almost withered by the power as Arcadios did the same. And the Knights? They were practically pissing themselves as their staffs shook in dreadful fear.

"Your attempt to stop me from saving your world from ten thousand dragons is fucking stupid Hisui! EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN TOLD BY THAT FUTURE BASTARD IS A LIE! HE ONLY WANTS POWER! TO ENSLAVE THE SURVIVORS OF THE COMING APOCALYPSE UNDER HIS BOOTHEEL!" MaGarden roared out in fury and annoyance as her eyes darkened.

"Paper….Shredder…"

The magical sheets shot forward in the blink of an eye, slicing through all the weapons of every single man and woman present with horrific ease. Staffs fell to pieces as blades of steel shattered into tinkling shards. Pressing onward, Levy destroyed the large gate before her with a simple wave of her hand.

Ruined metalwork fell to the roadway, far beyond repair as the scarred woman simply marched forward with purpose.

"Ahhh…it's so nice to feel my magic again. And by all accounts its even stronger now"

Looking upon the time gate with a bored tone as Minerva struggled to stay standing, McGarden simply gave another command to her spell…and the temporal gate was no more. Slicing through the material that was supposed to nullify magic, it had no defense as the mages attack slid between the molecules.

'_**CRASHHH!'**_

Hundreds of random sized blocks hit the stone roadway, the blows chipping away at the material as Levy walked up and knelt down. Starting to pick apart a piece as it glowed a soft yellow, the woman grinned as she cut off her magical attack.

"Man! This was way easier than trying to find quantum elements in the ground!" Pulling the element free of the metallic material, she moved to the next with haste.

"Huh? I wonder if Erza, Mira and Kagura's magic got stronger too? I mean…they all have large breasts so it stands to reason…"

Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted the ashen faces of Hisui and her military escorts as they stepped back in fear.

"Just so your all fucking aware, I could kill all of you at any time. But I don't like to kill innocents unless I really, really have to. Luckily for you all, Minerva and Sorano just volunteered to help me collect the materials I need to build some cool science shit"

"W…what? My battle with…Erza is…" Orland stuttered as she gripped the broken handle to her blade.

"Is cancelled. Now come over here and collect about…a pound of this quantum stone. Sorano. You get to carry some of this alloy…three pieces should do it"

Angel gulped, her breasts heaving with panic as she looked with dread upon this woman with a large bust and savage scar upon her cheek.

"Now. I don't want to get physical with you"

Her voice was dark…full of power and strength as the two women hurried forward to help collect what the terrifying mage wanted.

"_Oh…OH FUCK! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!? Her strength! It…it put the strongest dark mages to shame! If…if I can learn from her…_" Angel thought as she scampered, her fingers picking up broken metal fragments in dreadful panic. Looking over her shoulder as Minerva did the same, the dark mage watched Levy walk toward the princess who was completely defenseless.

"_Such Power! She truly makes me look like a novice! Even the years under my father's harsh lessons couldn't prepare me for this! I…I must learn her secrets! I will become her student!"_ Orland concluded as she knelt and started to retrieve the quantum element.

Crouching down to Hisui on the ground, Levy rested her elbows on her knees in a squat.

"I want you to know, I don't intend on harming you, your kingdom, or its people. In fact…I'm gonna give Fairy Tail some valuable technology that they can give you. Technology that will make Fiore a dominant scientific and military power on the continent. Of course, they get ownership rights that will make all parties very…wealthy"

"Why…why would you do that after threatening us? You could just take everything you want…" Hisui asked with lowered eyes. Feeling a pair of fingers grab her chin, the princess found herself looking into the eyes of McGarden as Kamika looked on helplessly.

"I consider you a sister. The first one of us to marry Dragneel. You've made such horrible decisions…decisions that kept two million Fiorians alive against the horde. You run a global war against the grubs…formed a unifying alliance of humanity with Bosco…Joya and all the remaining countries despite the problems of the past. You are not her…but I can tell you still have that love for your people."

Standing up, Levy extended a hand toward the princess.

"I'm feeling clear today…this is a good world. You help me, I help you. So, take me to your research center before my bitchiness comes back"

"MASTER LEVY! WE COLLECTED EVERYTHING YOU ASKED OF US!" Sorana and Minerva yelled as they bowed, their hands full as the two women stood before their new master.

"WHAT THE HELL! I'M NOT SOME MARIALS ARTS MASTER LIVING ON AN ISLAND WITH A TURTLE!"

"You are clearly stronger mistress! Please impart your wisdom!" Both women shouted in unison, their heads still bowed.

"I'm leaving in like three days! What can I possibly teach you then!?"

"I would like to learn as well. I clearly would be no match for you…and failed in protecting the princess. Please teach me your technique mistress Levy"

Cringing back, the blue haired scientist gained a look of horror on her face.

"Seriously…what the fuck is wrong with you three!?"

"Does this happen often to you?" the green haired princess asked with a small smirk. Frankly, she liked to see the terrifying mage panicking.

"THIS NEVER HAPPENS!" Levy shot back with annoyed fury as she raised her fists to the heavens. Then she gained a crazy thought.

"_Maybe the portal will work now! I can ditch these crazy bitches! Yeah…it obviously didn't work because those were non-magic universes and I had to scavenge technology!"_

"YOU'LL NEVER LEARN FROM ME YOU BITCHES! AND YOUR PERSONALITIES SHOULDN'T SHIFT SO QUICKLY!"

Raising her left wrist with the P.I.V.D. she input a flurry of commands as the blue screen glowed. Numbers lit up, displaying the destination of '137-C' as her face was nothing but dread. Levy didn't want pupils…especially in some random universe.

A jet of bluish, yellow particles shot from the device, streaming through the air as a portal tried to stabilize….then collapsed in milliseconds. The exotic elements flowed into four separate strands of dust, then shot off toward the stadium as three sparkled like starlight. The fourth slammed into Levy, surrounding her body as she looked down at the time-counter…then her eyes bugged out in stupefied disbelief.

"It went from…three and a half days…to…to three and a half weeks…" she whispered as another horrific thought came to mind.

"_I tried activating this twice in the walking dead world before I built in this numbered keypad! I CAUSED US TO STAY THERE FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! DON'T TELL THE OTHERS!"_

Racing over to her bottle of booze still standing up-right in the road, McGarden upended it as she drank…and drank…and drank.

"Uhhh…" Hisui looked on awkwardly.

"GAH! FUCK! FUCKING HELL! HOW WILL I GET TO THE DEADPOOL UNIVERSE NOW!?"

"Master! This is wonderful! You have almost a full month to teach us!" Minerva smiled beautifully as Kamika and Sorano nodded in unison.

A cloud of depression seemed to form over the woman, her demeanor almost crackling with sad lightning as Arcadios whispered to Hisui.

"I know this woman is dangerous…but she is very unbalanced. I mean…what's a Deadpool?"

"I have no idea…"

"Ugh…this sucks…like…some sort of half donkey man in a tuxedo"

Spinning as she pointed toward the three women, her eyes filled with fire.

"Fine! I'll…teach you some shit! But, I need to build a non-magical storage scanner for Erza and something for Natsumi and her scars. After that…I'll…train you. But only if you three become the cornerstone of a harem for this worlds Natsu. He's still single and will need some beautiful women at his side"

"If it pleases you my mistress, then I will seduce him" Minerva stated with a bow, her large breasts struggling to be free of her dress.

"I as well, master"

"He is a handsome innocent"

"Don't just agree like that you psychos! Try to at least get him on a date first! By the COG…I'm turning into Mira with her matchmaking…" glancing at the three women, McGarden couldn't believe how their personalities turned on a complete one eighty.

"Fine…fuck it. Let's go…" the scientist groaned out as she started walking toward the palace research center nearby….with her three new pupils in tow…

**At the Stadium…**

"GO NATSU! RIDE THAT PLATFORM! YOU TOO GAJEEL AND LAXUS!" Laki cheered out in the crowd as the dragon slayers struggled with motion sickness in the arena. They were all trying to stand…to make their way to the finish line as their faces turned green. Sting and Rouge weren't faring much better, their bodies pressed to the platforms as the crowd cheered.

"I…don't get it? Why don't they just stand up?" Natsumi asked Cana as the lush drank a large, frothing mug of beer.

"They have motion sickness from being dragon slayers. Didn't you have that problem back home? …hic"

"No. It was never an issue"

"It could be because you're a female slayer. During our travels, we've found that…Natsumi's tend to be immune to motion sickness more often than Natsu's. Of course, traveling through dimensional breeches stabilizes it for any slayer" Strauss explained lightly, the woman eating nacho's next to her twin. Glancing to her left at the other Mira, Strauss leaned in close.

"Are you sure I can't have sex with your Natsu? I could really use it"

"NO! Then he'll know of my body! And…other things…"

"I see…you want him for yourself…"

Mira blushed, turning away from her perverted, demonic self as several mages laughed. She would punish them later.

"Ugh…traveling with you three is the worst. It's either madness or sex talk. Or just trying to make me join your sis—"

Kagura didn't get to finish that sentence, her words interrupted as bluish, yellow particles slammed into her body. They didn't hurt…but were rapidly absorbed as the same happened to Scarlet and M.J.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Lucy cried out, her face a feature of panic as Natsumi jumped to her feet and lit her hands on fire. Looking around for attackers, her eyes became savage as her large breasts strained beneath her shirt.

"I'll kill them all! Whoever they are!"

"No…it's…it's just the same as the void" uttering a low groan, the knight stood up with annoyance as several onlookers looked on in fear. Strauss and Kagura were on their feet as well, their demeanor completely changed as the take over mage spoke up.

"Let's find Levy. Maybe she knows what the hell just happened to us"

"I swear…it's always something with you Fairy Tail mages" Kagura relented as she moved toward the exit to find the crazy scientist…

**The Fairy Tail guild hall, three and a half weeks later.**

The group of rowdy mages had won the Grand Magic Games at the last moment, beating out Sabertooth for the top spot. It had been a huge upset, making betting men cry as their fortunes were lost. Nobody expected the comeback…but they achieved it through teamwork and hard fought fights.

Of course…when McGarden's three companions found out what the scientist had accidentally done, they were livid with womanly rage. Turns out that if they tried to approach or form a portal, their bodies would absorb the quantum elements within moments. No matter what…they would be stuck shifting from one world to the next on complete randomness.

It was a huge disappointment for the four. They had been hoping that McGarden would figure something out…but it was something that their group would just have to deal with on their journey home.

The good news however was that the maddening scientist had managed to create a single vial of 'epidermal healing' for Natsumi as promised…and a scanner, re-equip system for Erza. The science was beyond the traveling knight, but suffice to say, all she had to do was scan a weapon or munition. It would become digitized, storing in the quantum core of the wrist mounted device that Scarlet now carried on her left wrist.

She obviously downloaded every bullet, gun, and weapon she could lay her hands on. Not only from the truck they arrived in, but random armories and weapon shops as well…who sent the bill to Makarov.

The expenses were downplayed as the famous guild was given technological blueprints from McGarden, the instructions to build and invest in them making many see wealth in their future. It would've been done sooner if it wasn't for the three pupils that followed her everywhere with the hopes of training. Levy finally broke down and did exactly that, giving them the harshest magical and physical training of their lives.

It did wonders for Sorano and Minerva as the two bonded under the nightmarish tutelage of the crazed bluenette. Kamika even found her magic climbing rapidly as she trained with the other two.

As for Natsumi…she was temporarily living with Juvia at Fairy Hills. It was hard for her. Trying to acclimate to a peaceful world without monsters and savage humans was a trial for her. She even went on a job with Juvia and Joy to fight some bandits attacking villagers. She killed five of them with her trusty crowbar before her two companions calmed her down to spare the rest.

Princess Hisui wasn't happy about a member of a light guild killing…but looked the other way after Makarov gave the government access to the wonderful new technologies Fiore would soon be crafting…for a permanent financial share of profits.

But now…now there was only a few minutes left before the four shifted away to a new world. Wrapped in their armors and holding their lancers at the ready, the four looked at the gathered members of Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, and Mermaid Heel.

"Please don't leave, Master!" Minerva cried out as she stood with her guild. Her body was still covered in bandages and bruises from the 'Levy Training' but she never felt better as Sorano cried.

"You can't leave your students!"

"Oh…fucking Christ! STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

Pinching her nose, the busty woman shook her head in frustration. "I can't deal with these idiots anymore" Handing a closed vial of pinkish liquid to Scarlet, she turned away from the blubbering women.

Clasping it in her hand, she walked toward Natsumi as the sun hit her horrid scars. They were a patchwork of nightmarish torture and pain…but nobody ever said a word. Joy sat on her shoulder, the female exceed enjoying having another female slayer around…especially with the stupidity of Natsu and Happy.

"You know what this is"

"I do" the busty pinkette replied as she took the vial of liquid and peered at the contents.

"It won't heal mental or physical scars…but it will heal the outside at least"

Looking at the clouds above, she closed her eyes for a moment. A few tears rolled down, the woman knowing she may never see these four again.

"I…I can't thank you enough…I never thought I'd…see a place like this again…" she whispered before looking toward Strauss and the rest. She tried to smile, but the scars marred the gesture.

"We tried our best" M.J. shrugged at the native Kagura spoke up.

"Do you know where you're going next?"

Her armored twin shook her head, the lancer cradled to her chest.

"We don't know. Another Earthland? Someplace nice…or a warzone of death and destruction? It's random…and who knows if we'll ever reach home again"

"THAT'S NOT FAIR! YOU HELPED NATSUMI AND FOUGHT MONSTERS TO SAVE PEOPLE! GRAAH! I'LL BEAT UP THE MULTIVERSE!" Natsu roared as the minutes ticked away.

"It's okay Natsu…this is our fate…how our lives were laid out years ago" Scarlet tried to smile as she glanced at her double near Lucy and Grey. "I hope you'll think about what I told you"

Erza blushed, looking away as her face took on a savagely red hue. _"She didn't need to tell me about every sexual encounter she's had! Even if I do end up dating Natsu, I'm not going to do that…right away. I would wait at least a week! But wait…what if I have to beat Mira? Or Minerva? She tried to seduce Natsu already with her large breasts like a harlot!"_

She got redder as several wondered what the two Erza's had talked about.

"Ten seconds" McGarden warned as she gave a thumbs up to Natsumi. "You're a fucking badass! And get Levy to build an I.V.D.! Tell the girls from one thirty two-F what happened to us! NOW LIVE YOUR LIFE LIKE A FUCKING BOSS YOU SEXY BIT—!"

They ran out of time as the particles inside their bodies reached a high charge…and in a split second, they snapped out of existence to an unknown world.

"I know they were crazy…but they did good…I think?" Lucy mentioned as she glanced to Natsumi. The woman was eyeing the vial…and promptly upended it. The liquid poured into her mouth, washing down her throat and left a strange, mango taste as her skin started to glow a soft pink.

The effect was immediate as the medicine raced through her body…and tingled with her senses. Then she felt it…the old wounds healing as the scars started to patch and heal. Not on just her face, but all over her body where those demons had carved and slashed for days and days.

"Oh my gosh! Natsumi…your…face…it's…beautiful…" Wendy said in an awed whisper.

"Does…does anybody have a mirror?"

"Here" Sting said with a smile as he handed the healing woman the small object.

Smiling lightly, she peered at the reflection…and almost cried some more. Reaching a few fingers up, she didn't feel any marred flesh…no sign of any damage as more tears flowed.

"OH NO! NATSUMI'S UPSET! WHAT DID YOU DO, STING!?" Happy cried out as he flew through the air in a blue panic.

"I'M HAPPY YOU STUPID CAT! I…I don't see them anymore…"

"Well, me and Lector think you look great!" Sting grinned as he crossed his arms, making the pinkette turn away in a light blush.

"What did you do, Sting? Her face is getting red"

The women noticed, especially Cana before Natsu jumped forth, his chest puffed out.

IT'S TIME FOR A PARTY! NOT ONLY IS NATSUMI ALL BETTER! BUT SHE'S PART OF OUR FAMILY NOW! AND WE MADE LOTS OF NEW FRIENDS! SO, LETS GET CRAZY! LAST ONE IN THE POOL SUCKS JUST LIKE GREY!" The hotheaded man challenged as he ran toward the guilds pool, already throwing off his vest…much to the admiration of several women.

"YOU THINK SO ASH HEAP! I'LL KICK YOUR ASS IN THE WATER!" Grey shot back as the two ran…and punched each other into the pool with a huge splash. Evergreen, Juvia, and Lisanna were soaked, making the mages laugh at the distraught women.

"Grey can get Juvia wet whenever he want's!"

"I'll start a harem for you Mistress Levy! As your top pupil it's my duty!" Minerva said with a grin as she ran past the script mage.

"I didn't tell you to do that! It was my insane twin…with her large breasts and love of…wonderful technology…" She smiled lightly, thinking about all the things left behind by the scarred S-mage. Her first order of business would be building an I.V.D!

"NO WAY! MY body is much more sensual! Isn't that right…Natsu…" Sorano cooed as she leaned near the pool, trying to show off he assets to the man. He didn't see her. Natsu was busy water wrestling with Grey and Rogue, the three battling for supreme pool supremacy.

"PAY ATTENTION TO MY BOOBS YOU HANDSOME IDIOT!"

"I get my sister back…and she's a love sick pervert after just three weeks with McGarden" Yukino giggled as she quickly moved toward the guild hall. And inviting pool.

"Well you heard him…LET'S PARTY FOR NATSUMI!" Makarov cheered with a wide grin as the groups of mages started to mingle and party. And almost immediately, food and drinks were brought out by the Strauss women and Kinana as Natsumi gave one last look toward the blue sky of the summer day.

"Thank you…and I hope you make it home…"

**And that's it! Natsumi has a new home and is cured of her scars! The G.M.G. went off without a hitch! I hope you all enjoy it! And yes…I know Sorano, Kamika, and Minerva went out of character…but so what? I thought it was funny for them to start calling McGarden 'master' right out of the blue.**

**And if anybody needs clarification, anytime those four try to activate a portal or are near one, they will absorb the particles that make them shift and collapse the field that stabilizes the portal. Not only will it increase their current time in whatever universe, but will add onto the total they will travel too…which is unknown. This was finally discovered by Levy during the three weeks, so now they know the why of their shifting.**

**Anyway! I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter! Leave some reviews!**

**Erza: I hope we land in a nice universe**

**Mira: DON'T JINX US YOU GINGER BITCH!**

**Kagura: Too late…**

**Levy: HERE WE GO!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	8. Victim

**Welcome back to another shifting chapter! This will be one of two in this last string of madness writing before I work on a few other stories! Now…I didn't plan on writing this, but after reading the latest chapter of "Alternate Views of Earthland' you will see why. I COULD NOT LET THIS STAND! There will be a bit of rape at the beginning…and brutal torture and murder of the criminals. If you don't want to read this..skip it. I'm not making any of you stick around.**

**So…I hope you can get through this all. Ugh…I feel wrong writing this first part.**

**I don't own any media**

**Chapter 8: Victim**

* * *

**Earthland 6660666-R Outcast Rats guild hall Location Unknown**

A lonesome hallway inside the dark guilds main hall crept with dust and decay, the walls almost screaming at the sins carried out by the men of this guild. A few magical torches lined the walls, but they were silent as four of the vile mages enjoyed their meal in the main hall across the building.

But nearby in a closed room…the grunts of forced sex and laughter rose above the cries and pleas of the traumatized victim.

A burst of light flashed in the gloom, the charge of exotic, blue quantum particles fading as Erza, Mira, Levy, and Kagura raised weapons in defense. Their stance was still, their eyes assessing for threats around them as they knelt or stood in preparation.

"Where are we? This place seems wrong…" Kagura whispered as flaming light flickered across her brow.

"An Earthland for…about eight hours…so our magic is good til' then. But as for where exactly?" Levy started to reply in a whisper, then they all heard it. A grunt and laughter from a doorway only twenty feet away. Light flowed from underneath the crack, racing across the floorboards as a male voice cheered.

"_Yeah! YEAH! Take that fucking cock you little dragon bitch! This is your life now you man whore!"_

"_Hehe! I should make this Salamander fuck suck my balls! I made them nice and sweaty too after we stole him! Damn Fenrus! Your gonna break his asshole in half before Neo gets a chance at that ass!"_

"_Relax Dabinor! This Natsu bitch will be our fuck doll from now on! Hehe…I bet his precious friends are all so worried! I bet we could rape some of those fine ass bitches too later!"_

"_Pl..ple…please stop…"_

"_No. I look like your buddy Grey right! Well now I'm gonna fuck you till you pass out, bitch!"_

The women's eyes immediately darkened as they hefted their weapons and moved toward the door.

"They…they're committing such…vile sins against Natsu?" Mira whispered as her anger grew and grew. Any chance of peaceful contact was gone…not like they would listen if these men begged for forgiveness. No…they will suffer for this.

Gripping the wooden handle, Mira turned it as more vile grunts raced past her ears…then promptly kicked it open. And it was a nightmarish sight for the woman that loved the hot headed man.

Natsu was pinned down to a table, his wrists bound with a magical restraining collar wrapped around his neck. He was wearing the tatters of his clothes, the fringes tinted with blood. Open wounds festered with pus, their yellow tint like rancid bile as dirt, grime and other…horrific fluids of white crusted against his paled skin.

The two men in the hall stopped, their eyes locking onto the four females as one was in mid step with his cock out. He was near Natsu's face, the man crying silent tears…as his body jutted forward.

"Who are these bitches!?" Fenrus asked as he thrust his rancid cock into Natsu once more, making the man cry in pain.

"Your…so fucking dead" Erza whispered with blinding rage and fury at the horror before her. In a flash of movement, she had her lancer pressed to her shoulder and aimed at the first man. She didn't care who he was…or his name. He was dead meat.

The gun slammed against her shoulder as a three round burst of gunfire rang in the room…and turned Dabinor's head into a gore strewn paste as brain matter flew against the nearby wall. Body slumping down, the corpse wasn't even on the ground yet as Mira snatched up her pistol and shot Fenrus in the right shoulder.

"GAAH!" He cried out as the bone shattered from the lead passage. Pulling out of the rape victim, only his left arm was still usable as he tried to grab his nearby sword.

"_What? What kind of gun can do that!?"_

'_**BANG!'**_

Mira fired again, her face full of unsuppressed rage as the bullet struck the man in the abdomen. He cried with a howl, his back flying against the wall as internal organs burned in agony. It was the most painful sensation of his life. Too bad it was not even close to what was coming.

"Kagura! Get him off the table! Levy and I…we will deal with the rest…" Erza said in terrifying madness as she took one last look at the broken and beaten Natsu.

"K…ka…kagura?" Natsu's voice cracked as Kagura tried to be gentle…and lowered him to the floor.

"You…what the fuck! That's our fuck meat! We stole him…gnn…grom Poison Fang…fair…and square!" Dabinor grunted out as he held the wound…which would not stop bleeding.

"You…all of you trash will scream before we're done with you…" Mira promised as she crouched down and pulled her sheathed combat knife free from the small holster near her left shoulder.

"Hehe…your Fairy Tail. A light guild. Then I…I have nothing to worry about. You can't kill us…just throw us in prison. But…we…will esc…WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" He cried out, the dark mage forgetting the deadly wounds for the moment.

The take over mage had grasped his still hardened cock, the member glistening with bodily fluids as she pressed the blade to the shaft…and started to slice…very slowly as fresh blood and screams rang through the room.

"AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHH! PLEASE STOP!" Fenrus pleaded as the pain became unbearable.

The knife sliced through the member in seconds, pulling free with a few strands of gristle and flesh hanging. Crimson flowed toward the floor, stinking like copper as Mira stabbed the blade into the ruined crotch.

"AAAAAAAAAGUUUUUHHH!" The man screamed in unholy pain as his mouth opened wide.

"You like shoving cocks into Natsu? Let's see how you like this"

Mira forced the flaccid member into the dark mages mouth, her eyes filled with no sense of mercy as blood leaked past his lips. The man tried to spit it out, but a quick palm over the orifice made it impossible as he tried to struggle.

"MMMNFH! MFFFH!"

"No…this is how you die. Swallowing on your own cock like the sub human you are"

He struggled…but with how much blood loss he was enduring, the movements became slower and slower as his life force ebbed and slowed. Trying one last attempt to summon his magic with his good arm, Fenrus felt the blade pulled from the joining between his legs…and stabbed through his left hand. It was pinned to the wall, digits useless as Mira stared coldly at him like the devil herself.

"MMMGgghhh!" He tried to scream as the new wound raced along burning nerves. But it was for naught as his heart beat slowed…and stopped. Head lolling forward, Fenrus's bloody penis still was clogged in the mouth as Mira stood up.

"Mira…you…fo…found me…" Natsu whispered as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Moving to his side as Kagura tried to dress the worst cuts and wounds with first aid, the white haired woman slowly set his head in her lap as a few tears rolled down past her trembling lips.

"_Even the locust don't rape humans…why…why are some men capable of such things?"_ Seeing him like this…it made her breath hitch. Stroking his pink locks, Natsu soon passed out as Mira tried…and tried not to cry from the sight.

"Your…your safe Natsu. And we will get you home…" M.J. told the man as Kagura continued to work on his emergency aid.

Erza and Levy stood in the hallway, their faces hard with mercilessness as the shouts of four male voices yelled for action. They were running towards them from somewhere in this structure…and would soon pay for it.

"That came from the rape room! Poison Fang is trying to get their Salamander bitch back! But we won't let them! Isn't that right!?" A man yelled from down the hallway as boots thudded.

"YEAH NEO! He's our fuck bitch!" The three other men yelled as Erza gripped her lancer tighter. Her aura of anger was…terrifying to behold as she gave a side glance toward Levy.

"Remove their hands and feet. We want them to suffer for this"

"You got it! And whoever Poison Fang is…they're next" McGarden gave a harsh reply as she summoned hundreds of fluttering pieces of parchment. They danced through the air around them, often reflecting fire light as the running steps boomed louder.

The first man rounded the corner, the guild leader named Neo as the spiked collars and wrist guards drew in some light. A pale man with messy black hair as a green strand trailed down one side of his face, his anger was seeping from the disturbance of their victory. Joined by the other three, Eagan, Travon, and Mylor, the lead man pointed as he started to build his magic.

"There! Capture them! We'll rape them later!" Neo yelled at the female intruders. He recognized them as Fairy Mages immediately…after all, they were well known.

"_Erza Scarlet, Levy McGarden? They made a mistake coming here…but we will break them. Maybe rape Natsu right in front of them? Yeah…that will break these bitch-!"_

"YOU TRASH WILL SUFFER! PAPER SHREDDER!" Levy screamed out as hundreds of deadly sheets hissed silently through the air.

'_**BBBRRP!'**_

Erza fired a three round burst, stitching Eagan as the bullets tumbled through his left torso, rib cage, and shoulder in an instant. He was flung to the ground, his face a look of shock and horror as he struggled to breath….then screamed at the damage incurred.

"Eagan!" Neo shouted out in disbelief at how this woman defeated one of the 'Outcast Rats' so easily. Gathering more magical power into his hands, he glared at the two females…then promptly fell as the sheets of paper cut through his wrists and ankles like a hot knife through bloody butter. It was a clean cut…far too much for these men to handle as bone, sinew, and nerves separated from each other.

"My…MY HANDS! I DON'T HAVE ANY HANDS!" Travon screamed in woeful misery as blood pumped from the stumps of his legs.

"Levy. Find some more magical restraints…I'll make sure they don't bleed out" Erza ordered simply as the four men down the hall screamed and cried. After all, no matter who you are….losing limbs would be a nightmare of blood and gore.

"What you've done to Natsu…Your deaths will make what you've done tame in comparison" Scarlet whispered as she typed a few buttons on her 'Portable Re-quip Device' Or P.R.D. Scrolling, she soon found the desired tool as she hit 'activate'

Her flamethrower appeared in her hands like a digital scan of blocks among a savage grin as the nozzle burst with a light flame.

"You…you can't do this! You're… a light mage!" Mylor tried to say as his body continued to pump out crimson blood. Looking at his stumps in horror, the dark mage gulped as the heavy boots stopped before him.

"And the duty of good is to eliminate all evil…now hold still, I don't want to accidentally kill you yet" Pointing the scorcher downward, she gave a light squeeze of the trigger as the nozzle flared with fire. The ball of napalm raced toward Mylor's stumps…and the fire ate at the severed flesh as skin bubbled. Nerves were burned shut as the blood flow ceased, making the hallway smell like burning pork as the man cried…then passed out as he got hungry from his own stench.

"Next patient!" Erza said with a grin as Levy re-emerged from the…room with four magical restraining collars. Moving toward Neo as he gasped and floundered on the ground, the man felt a boot press down on his chest…and looked up into the hell that was Erza Scarlet.

Neo pissed himself, his eyes watering at the future pain made him shake.

"Please…! I'm sorry!" I'll never do something like this again!" the master pleaded as his vile blood pumped across the floor.

"Tell me where this…'Poison Fang' is and I'll make your death quick" She didn't need to ask him what this other guild has done…it was glaringly obvious from the first two they had stolen Natsu for torture and rape to further his suffering. Gritting her weapon tighter, she wanted to murder all those responsible.

"Th…their hall…hundred miles north…we left it…destroyed…Please" the man begged. "Make the pain stop…"

"No" Burning the appendages shut with fire, the stench of burnt pork grew heavier as he screamed…then passed out. Levy trialed behind, slapping restraining collars across the men's necks as Erza finished…attending the wounds.

"Let's search this building for others. After, we go to this other guild and do the same" the red head ordered as the duo left the horribly burned and shattered men in their wake. Only Eagan was still barely conscious as he watched the women disappear around the corner.

Gasping at the bullets lodged in his body, the bare chested man with brown hair could feel some of his partners blood gather near his torso. Grunting out as he rolled onto his bleeding stomach…Eagan tried to crawl forward…but was halted as Mira stepped on his back.

"Where the fuck do you think your going, trash?"

"No…" trying to gather a spell, any spell, the light haired man found it pointless as she pressed harder.

"Graaaghhh!"

Vomiting some blood as flecks hit his lips, the man craned his neck to study the female.

"_Ho…how? We were the…strongest dark…guild. They…they shouldn't be this…strong…"_

He passed out, the body going still as Kagura emerged from the room with Natsu. She was carrying him with kindness, her arms supporting his legs and head. A simple robe covered his privates and body since his old clothes were rags. Bandages covered his face, arms, and many other areas of his gaunt flesh.

"This…how could anybody do this to Natsu?"

"By being evil scum. But we will give them appropriate punishment. Now lets try to find some transport out of this sickening place" Mira scowled as her earlier softness toward Natsu retreated for the time being.

There had been nobody else in the guild hall. Just the rooms the members had obviously used to rest. Jail cells were discovered, but the bodies in there were far from help as flied buzzed and gathered on the rancid flesh of forgotten victims.

Stepping outside into the dead forest as fog clung to the ground, the group of women settled eyes on the prize next to the hall.

It was a magical airship. Nestled between the peeling paint of the structure and several trees, the black colored transport was just begging to be stolen. Which is what the women did. Placing Natsu in the finest bedroom to rest on a large bed, Erza took the duty of watching over him…while the others loaded the human trash into the cargo hold. None of their wounds had been treated or dressed. And it wouldn't be long until infection started to rear its head. But it didn't matter to them so long as one made it to their appointment with punishment.

Five minutes later, the magical engines lifted off as Levy left the guild hall in flames. After all…it needed to be cleansed as Kagura plotted a course for Poison Fang…

**Two hour's later… **

"I see smoke…" Kagura informed her two companions as a tendril of ash dirtied the sky past a peak in the mountains of ice and snow.

"Has to be these bastards. Nobody else is out here for miles"

Feeling the deck thrum with power as the woman steered, Mira glanced at Levy with a face of war and rage. Moving toward the open edge of the airship, Strauss transformed as magical wings bypassed her armor…and her demon form reigned.

"Fuck it. I'll blast them and you shred their limbs to prevent escape. If this world's Fairy Tail cares at all about Natsu, they will deal the final blows to his tormentors"

"They fucking better…" McGarden whispered as she climbed onto Mira's back…and the two leapt off toward the ruined building below.

Wind howled past their ears, whistling like a banshee as the two females glared downward at their targets. Pouring some of her magic into her right palm, Strauss could feel the pull as an orb of green light started to crackle near her fingertips. Pulling her arm back, she let the attack fly as more magic flowed.

"TAKE THIS YOU SCUM! SATAN SOUL!"

"Do you guys hear something?" Sirpent asked the eleven survivors of his dark guild. Moving a piece of wood out of the way, the male groaned as cuts and bruises covered his body. Clenching a fist in anger, the rapist of Natsu vowed to get the pink haired pig back from the rats….and fuck him six ways sideways.

The lone woman of Poison Fang looked up at the sound…and her eyes went wide at the incoming magic blast.

"OH CRAP! IT'S A SNE-!"

She was consumed in demonic fire, the force literally ripping her head from the shoulders as her skin was cooked. Flesh boiled and cracked, becoming black like her heart as the satan magic exploded outwards among the gathered mages and their ruined hall.

The illusionist responsible for making Natsu see his male friends brutalize him for weeks had his left arm ripped off by flying shrapnel and wood. Blood pumped from the stump, squirting in an arc as dozens of broken and bent nails embedded into his face and eyes. A howling scream tried to force past the ruin…but it was drowned out by others pouring their own pain toward the sky.

Sirpent himself didn't have a chance to run or evade from the explosive force as he was flung away from the epicenter like a rag doll. His muscular body hit the ground hard, causing him to spit blood from his mouth…and then he heard screaming through his stunned ears.

Several seconds passed before he realized it was himself as waves of pain flared up his legs. Looking down, his irises became wide at the sight of the bloody stumps. Both his legs were gone from the thigh down…and the nerves pulsed again as green flames licked and ate his severed flesh. Shattered bone was poking out…the whiteness glistening with strips of red skin.

"AAAAAAUUUGHHH!" He wailed, not even seeing the landing of two women in the center of the blast zone.

"Dammit Mira…you got them all. Not a single one is unharmed" Levy pouted as she studied the crying and broken bodies of these vile men. Kicking away the severed head of a woman, the blunette scowled as the smell of shit and piss crept up her nostrils. It was apparent several had soiled themselves.

"Sorry. But it's not like they'll live past today anyway" Mira shrugged with non caring as the airship landed behind them. Crushing one of the dark mages that had been ripped in half, the male's cries were cut off as the landing strut flattened his chest.

"I should make you all load this trash in the cargo bay" Levy stated stubbornly as Mira disagreed. A hissing noise crept through the air, mixing in with the bitter cold as the loading bay door opened. Cries of pain and pleas of mercy echoed out, but the deadly females did not care in the slightest.

"No way. There's like...ten of them still alive. And we need to get Natsu to proper medical treatment as soon as possible. So fucking help already"

"Ugh…fine" Grabbing Sirpent by the legs stumps as charred skin slid off, Levy grunted as she pulled the howling man to the cargo hold. His screams were positively annoying to the mad scientist as she dropped him near Neo.

"AAAuu…AAAAUUUNNNGHHH!"

"Shut the fuck up you rapist. This pain will only get worse as the day goes on. Now why don't you share stories with your rivals about how we're gonna fucking kill the shit out of all of you" She answered harshly…before kicking him in the ribs.

"UUUUNGGH!" Tears raced down his face, the male turning his head toward Neo as groans and cries entered his senses. _"I…I can't…I can't summon magic…my body…there's…"_

"We…we're all dead…I unngh…none of us…stood a chance…gungh…" Neo tried to say as he raised the cracked and burnt stumps of his wrists as horror caved in his face from the anguish.

"They…took my limbs…"

Another dark mage was thrown on him, eliciting a cry as Mira burnt her eyes at the two guild masters.

"I think…I might make you eat each other's balls before you die. After all…this is what you deserve" she contemplated before nodding…then smirked.

"But not yet. I want to get in the air first. It'll be more painful for you if I fuck up" She shrugged as the last few bodies were flung onto the cold, hard floor of the ship. Walking toward the exit ramp, the woman swayed her hips in victory…then punched the closing switch before leaving.

And with that, Neo, Sirpent, and fourteen other half dead, badly wounded dark mages were cast into the velvet silence of no light…and then the engine thrummed minutes later as the airship lifted into the air…

**Magnolia…three hours later…**

Kinana wiped down the bar nervously, her heart heavy as the entire hall sat empty. Yes…Fairy Tail was technically open, but not a single mage was here to take jobs or assist a needy citizen. Scrubbing the same spot for the tenth time in twelve minutes, she finally stopped as silence greeted her. Sniffling a little as she picked up Natsu's scarf, she prayed that one of her friends would find him soon.

The lovable man had been missing for weeks now, which drew even the concern of Sabertooth and many other guilds who searched and searched…to no avail. Some were worried he had been killed, but Kinana knew he was still alive…she could feel it. Clutching the scaled scarf close to her heart, the voluptuous woman gave a silent prayer. Then…a horrible thought entered her mind. What if he had been captured by some dark mages?

Ever since the destruction of a whole city in Seven that housed over a million people three months before, the governments had been trying to hunt the perpetrators of the genocide. The rise of dark guilds had gotten so bad that the king of Fiore had passed a law permitting the killing of these vile humans. Some had bounties in the tens of millions, but action had been slow since light guilds hardly killed before. In fact, out of every mage in Fairy Tail, only Erza had slain a man since then…

'_**CRASH!'**_

The guilds doors were flung open, revealing Mira in the light…and a broken and bandaged body of one Natsu Dragneel. Standing near him was Erza, Levy, and Kagura…but they didn't look right.

Mira and Levy had scars…they were all wearing strange armor that had running lights of blue or yellow depending on the female. Erza scowled, a bit of blood on her cheeks along with Mira who strode in with purpose as heavy boots clomped and echoed among the floor.

"Oh…OH MY GOD! YOU FOUND HIM MIRA!" Kinana cried as she ran around the bar, fresh tears flowing.

Erza moved to block her, the eyes stern and full of anger.

"Wherever your guild is, call them back here immediately. And the old doctor with Wendy are highest priority"

"But…where did you find him?" Kinana whispered as her breath caught in her throat. Natsu was covered in bandages…and stank of filth and blood as the gauntness of his skin reflected in the light. It looked like he had been starved.

"We will explain everything. Just please call for help right now!" Erza asked once more, her voice rising as Mira walked the poor man to the infirmary in the back. Kagura and Levy stood guard at the entrance, their faces blank of emotion as both held deadly rifles in their gloved palms.

Kinana stepped back, her eyes wide before hurrying to the communications lacrima set behind the bar. It activated, showing the small visage of the bountiful Wendy in the sphere.

"_Kinana? What is it? We're not even to the search area yet?"_

"Get back here immediately! Mira, Erza, Levy and Kagura found Natsu! He needs healing!"

"_WHAT!? Oh…OKAY! But…I'm with Erza and Mira? How are they there?"_

"Nevermind that! Natsu is hurt badly! Please hurry back while I contact everybody!" the usually soft spoken woman shouted at the nineteen year old healer who gave a quick nod through the magic orb.

"_I'm on the way with my team! Just wait!"_

The magic shut off courteous of Wendy as Kinana activated the device again to spread the word…

**Another two hours later…**

The gathered mages of Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, and Blue Pegasus kept looking oddly at the four women standing guard near the infirmary door. Only Wendy and Porlyusica had been granted entrance, small whispers exchanged between the bustier Levy and Marvell…who burst out crying moments later.

Nevermind the fact that there were two versions of Erza, Mira, Kagura and Levy. No, the real issue was the deadly aura gripping the air around them as the…other Erza gripped a horrifying baseball bat. Finally stepping forward as Makarov entered the hall, the scarlet haired woman planted the barb-wired tip toward the wooden floor.

"I will keep this short! The four of us hail from a different Earthland! The normal questions by you all will be ignored since we only have an hour left here!" She shouted, making the mages turn their attention to her words. Clenching her closed fists around the handle of her bat, the woman's eyes grew darker as rage rekindled.

"When we found Natsu…he was being raped by the dark mages of 'Scattered Rats' Not only have they defiled his spirit and body, but they stole him from the guild 'Poison Fang' …who used illusion magic on him during…their…vile torment. I learned this from the man responsible…who had disguised himself as Laxus first…then anally raped him" She paused once more as the cries and gasp of rage and anger left the mouths of many gathered.

"To that poor, beaten dragon being treated by Wendy and the old crone, all the men here had their visage used by these…worthless, inhumane, garbage scum. Natsu had to endure the brutality of illusions of Sting…of Grey and Romeo…of Gildarts and Makarov forcing him into sex acts that nobody should have to endure"

Grey stomped his foot forward, a contorted rage across his face as his teeth bared in a snarl. "They…they did that to flame brain! How…how could they do something so sickening!?"

Laki clenched her fist, slamming both hands against a table as her ears and mind couldn't comprehend what her man had been through.

"I'll…destroy them!"

"WHERE ARE THESE VILE MAGES!? I'LL KILL THEM FOR WHAT THE'VE DONE TO MY CHERISHED BELOVED!" Erza roared out, her hands re-equipping a mace. It was no secret how the woman felt about Natsu…and to hear what had been done…was gut wrenching to herself and many others.

"Why…why would anybody hurt Natsu?" Happy cried as he flew to Lisanna, her face frozen in shock as tears flowed. Hugging the blue cat, she couldn't find an answer.

Makarov…he was bleeding rage. It was one thing to have his children take some blows against monsters and dark mages…but this? This was one of his children…a boy he raised! And to think they used his own face to harm him!? The guild master was seeing red spots of anger as the Levy sporting the facial scar spoke up.

"Follow me" the woman said simply. Pausing in her first step, she looked to Gajeel…Gildarts and Wakaba who all had layers of fury and violence pouring from their bodies. Casting her gaze to all the men…her voice went darker.

"None of you men go into that room to see Natsu. From his perspective…you repeatedly raped him…made him choke on your cocks. The damage to his psyche is horrendous…and seeing any of you is the last thing he needs. Only the women or exceeds may enter" She warned before waving a hand forward.

Walking toward the double doors, dozens of light mages followed into the sunlight as the script mage moved to the nearby airship…and opened the cargo bay doors.

Wails and cries of untold agony washed out, the pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears as she pointed toward the opening. "Inside are the surviving sixteen members of the dark guilds that harmed your friend…your family. If your serious about killing them Erza, Laki…or any others, give them the nightmare they deserve! Cut into them! Burn them! Poke their eyes out! Chop off their cocks and make them swallow their own meat! PUT THEIR HEADS ON PIKES AS A WARNING TO NEVER FUCK WITH FAIRY TAIL AND HER FRIENDS AGAIN!"

The men and women paused for a moment…then Evergreen stepped forward with Lucy and Laki, their eyes filled with only raging blood. Some were so angry they could feel their heartbeats in their ears as Evergreen whispered to Erza.

"Scarlet…give me a hammer…"

"Give me a hatchet"

"I'll need a meat cleaver…" Juvia rang out last as the weapons were soon pressed into their palms. Stalking forward toward the ship, the women and men soon were dragging out the nightmarish forms of Neo and Sirpent as they tried to cry with the severed balls of each other in their mouths. They had been sewn shut, eliminating the chance to spit out the vile orbs as their end was drawing close. Wounds bled and flowed…already smelling of pus as Lucy pulled Sirpent by the hair. The fact that he was so fucked up already almost made her smile.

"What you've done to the man I love…there is no forgiveness" the usually bubbly blonde spoke softly as she threw the man in the middle of a pack. Raising the hatchet, Lucy would not be denied vengeance for her precious Natsu… the man she had called friend for so long…and now the man she loved with all her heart.

Swinging down as the male tried to cry out, the small axe severed three of his fingers from his hand.

"MMMNNNGGHHFFFHHH!"

"We are all going to get our pound of flesh from you rapist fucks…for the salamander" Gajeel glowered as he cracked his knuckles…then proceeded to beat the dark guild's leader's face with iron covered fists. Teeth were broken…shattered and pulverized by Gajeel as he broke the man's jaw. There would be no mercy from Fairy Tail today.

"FOR NATSU! MAKE THIS SCUM REGRET THE DAY THEY HARMED OUR FAMILY!" Makarov roared as he started to kick one of the men on the burnt stump of his legs.

"FILTH! TRASH!" Laki screamed out as she shot tendrils of wood into one rapist's eyes, the orbs exploding as his howls rang…but were drowned out as dozens of mages stabbed…cut…chopped and beat the man to death.

Erza swung her sword at the exposed neck of Neo, the man having more of his limbs cut free despite the fact that he had died from blood loss, shock and exposure. The blade bit through, severing the bone and tendrils of sinew as the head rolled free. Stooping down, she picked it up as blood dripped from the head's neck. Holding it by the hair, she held it high as the mages cheered.

"FOR NATSU!" Bisca cried out as she soon did the same…and removed another man's head.

Walking with Erza, the gun mage knew they were in the right here…these crimes could never be forgiven. Finding Mira, Lucy, Kinana, and Laki each carrying other heads, the woman gave an even grin as they approached the iron posts lining the property of their guild.

"For my precious hot-headed man" Mira whispered as she planted a head on the wrought iron spike near the entrance. It slid on with sickening ease as flesh split, leaving tendrils of skin and drops of blood to flow down toward the brick.

"I really expected them to waver or something…? Most versions of Fairy Tail and other light guilds would never do something like this" McGarden observed as Laxus held up another severed head. The bodies were broken and beaten…the chopped limbs scattering the entranceway as the last head belonging to Sirpent was literally ripped free by Juvia and Yukino. Cheering at the last death, severed heads of varying damage soon decorated the fencing facing the streets of Magnolia. It would be a horrendous warning to all Dark mages in the future…Fairy Tail would hunt them down like the diseased rats they were.

"Let that be a warning to all the evil men out there…never to harm my children…" Makarov whispered as McGarden walked past to the guild hall. Time was running out…minutes counting down as she went to join her group in a hurry.

"Thank you…for bringing Natsu back…and for allowing us the chance to seek vengeance for their…sickening crimes" Mira told the group as they stood near the doorway, their faces cold. Splashes of blood had spattered her marron dress, but the woman's aura was still full of pain and anger.

"One minute" McGarden warned as she looked at the P.I.V.D. the blue readout glowing as the seconds ticked by.

"What happened to him…he will never be the same again. In all likelihood, he will never trust the men in this hall again. He may never want to even see them again. He will need therapy…support from you and the other women to help him. It will be painful…awful, but the only way he can even start to heal is with the love you can give him…so do that…and never let him go again" Strauss ordered. Checking her lancer one last time, Mira, Erza, Lucy, Kinana, Laki and several other women gave short, but meaningful nods.

"We won't! I'll…I'll make sure that he smiles again!" Lucy cried…even as a few drops of blood crawled down her face from her earlier chopping. Trying to smile…it trembled as the four were swathed in blue and yellow light…then disappeared in a flash that lit up the walls nearby…

**Three days later… Fairy Hills.**

Natsu slowly opened his eyes as light poured through the window past scarlet drapes. The nightmares had come and gone…then returned as he tried to sit up…but found he couldn't. Slightly panicking at the thought this was another trick, he tried to move the weight on him as his eyes tried to focus. But…some of the pain was gone. And the…physical savagery his tormentors inflicted on him had faded.

"_It…doesn't hurt back there anymore? Did I die? I hope so…"_ Gulping at the visions plaguing his mind's eye, Natsu tried to shake them away.

"Wh…where am I?" He croaked as his dry throat begged for water.

"Hmmm…." A feminine moan let out, making the damaged man look down at the source…or several sources. Laki and Mira…Lucy and Erza…even Kinana Wendy and Evergreen were all sprawled around the large bed in varying nightgown attire. Womanly bodies pressed against him…and the man sniffled as Lucy stirred.

Giving a cute yawn, the blonde rubbed her eyes and sat up as a spaghetti strap fell past her slender shoulders. The nightgown was white…and enticing with copious amounts of cleavage shown as his friends looked at him…and her eyes brimmed with immediate tears.

"NATSU! YOUR AWAKE!"

The blonde sprung forward, her large breasts smothering the man as the other females stirred and woke.

"NATSU!" Mira cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck…and squeezed.

"Mi…mira…? L..luce?" The man whispered…then started crying at the hell he endured. "This…they…what they did…"

"Those dark mages will never hurt you again Natsu…you have my word on that" the busty beauty promised as the man kept crying, his tears mournful and full of pained relief.

"We will help you heal…no matter how long it takes" Laki whispered as she soon hugged the man…and squeezed him tight as his tears flowed down his cheeks before hitting her warm skin.

And the rape victim cried…and cried as the seven women held him tight, embracing his pain to help him on the first steps to rebuilding his broken life in the safety and comfort of womanly love…

**So yeah…I'm sure many of you will hate the beginning with Natsu. But this is all because of UnknownLegion and his story "Alternate Views of Earthland!" Chapter 135 Dark Guild Clash! AARRGGGHHHH! I had to make it right and save that tormented Natsu! SO I DID! JUST LIKE THAT ONE WENDY!**

**Still, I don't expect much feedback on this one. Just know the next universe will be under construction by…Tuesday. It will be fucked up, but not like this.**

**Erza: Wow…didn't expect that guild to do that**

**Mira: Like rabid piranha**

**Levy: At least we gave them the means to kill those fucks.**

**Kagura: Agreed. They were nothing but the crust beneath dried eyes. The world is better off**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	9. The Magical Sunshine Forest

**Hello everybody! Here I am with another chapter with our four heroines! Now…I know the last chapter was…well. Fucking Dark, but I needed to write it! Luckily, that Natsu will be able to heal with the help of some lovely women at his side!**

**As for this one, I've wanted to do this for a long time, but just didn't get around to it until now. All I can say is that it'll be really messed up. So I hope you all enjoy, read, and review!**

**I also don't own any media!**

**Chapter 9: The Magical Sunshine Forest**

* * *

**Universe 10055598345-M Earthland, Unknown location**

The sun shone down on the large forest covering the land as white puffy clouds floated through through the azure sky. A comfortable seventy degrees, it was the poster card of a beautiful day.

Bees collected honey from flowers near bubbling brooks of clean, crisp water as deer, beavers, and other assorted wildlife slaked their thirst. Trees stood tall, casting cooling shade as their green leaves collected moisture from the morning dew. Among the damp earth, ants and other small forms of life went about their business with seemingly peaceful intent. Not only that, but the smell of foliage was strong as the healthy biosphere kept humming along. For all intents and purposes, it was peace on earth with the closest human settlement a hundred miles away.

'**Crack! Pop! Pop!'**

The air near a small clearing charged with quantum electricity before four women suddenly appeared…several feet in the air.

"Ahhhh!" Kagura gave a soft cry as she landed and tripped on a tree root, her body falling forward to the earth as she tried to break her fall. Her face hit the soil, causing a light curse as the other three women picked themselves up from their own stumbles.

"Ughh…that last universe sucked. I hope we never see something like that again" Mira groaned as she brushed off pieces of twigs and excess dirt from her COG armor.

"Agreed. But at least we rescued that Natsu from being raped and got him home to the women of Fairy Tail. They will do their best to help Natsu heal from his situation" Erza gave assent as she picked a few leaves from her scarlet locks. Readying her Lancer, the knight glanced at her surroundings.

"I just can't get over the names of those two guilds. Scattered Rats and Poison Fang? What a bunch of losers. But damn Mira…I didn't expect you to cut off the leader's balls and sew them into each others mouths?" Kagura smirked as Mira shrugged.

"They were rapists. Any rapists we find gets zero mercy and their sex organs removed with no sense of guilt. It's like pulling the wings off a cockroach…who cares?" the woman shrugged. Bits of light wafted through the trees, spilling along her armor as she stood tall. Hearing the chirping of birds over more wildlife, her eyes kept searching for any threats.

"Oh man. What if those mages from twenty one-A were watching those two guilds fight over raping Natsu with Observer, and they moved on not knowing we would show up like…an hour later and just…torture the fuck out of that trash? I mean, they were such pussies once I cut off their hands and feet and Erza burned the stumps shut with a flamethrower!" Levy grinned as Kagura glanced at her.

"That other Fairy Tail really tore those dark mages apart though…I'm surprised Lucy used a hatchet to cut off their fingers…Or that Juvia and Millianna actually ripped off one of their heads to place on a spike?"

"I'm just glad we didn't have to go over the merits of murdering vile non-humans like that…Now…lets see where we are…" Levy pondered as she studied the readout of her P.I.V.D. The numbers gave a soft glow, displaying the universe and time left.

"Ugh…that's a long universe coordinate. But time wise? About six hours" the scientist informed them all as Mira nodded. Her white haired fluttered, almost becoming like silk under the sun draped canopy as she breathed deeply.

The smell of life…warmth and safety were unmistakable to the group as they looked around some more….and only found forest. The buzzing of bees…fluttering wings of birds and animal calls in the distance. It was truly quiet.

"I doesn't seem like there's any people around" Kagura observed as she checked her weapon. The lancer was still loaded and ready to fire…but for the life of her, she didn't see anything wrong.

"There could be a small town or village nearby? Maybe we could get a few supplies at least? Or a warm meal?" Erza suggested as she ate a ration bar. Frankly, they hadn't had much time to eat or rest in the last universe and they would need to soon. If not here the next one. Swallowing the food with some chilled water, the red head listened some more.

A light echo of gurgling water flowed, washing through the trees. Erza followed it, automatically making the other three follow in silence. Minutes passed, the only sound boots and warmth of life as they continued toward the source…and found it ten minutes later.

"Wow…it's…beautiful…" Mira gasped as the small brook of clean water poured past. Not only was it sparkling clean, but the banks were lined with flowers of all shapes and sizes. Violet purples…vibrant oranges and reds…some a midnight hue of blue mixed with the warmth of yellow. And magic flowed from them…particles of light rising into the air as Kagura passed a hand through the magic of over a dozen unnamed flowers.

It flowed around her fingers, making them tingle with light as the soldier smiled. "It's so…pretty"

"Truly…a peaceful universe" Erza smiled as she stooped down to refill her canteen. Testing the water as she drank, it was probably the purest and cleanest she'd ever consumed as the cool liquid flowed down her throat. Magical particles flowed around them all, seeming to dance with a life of its own as they kissed skin…then rose up into the sky.

The others soon did the same, crouching among the reeds and magical flowers as they replenished the valuable liquid for the future.

Then they heard it…the tell-tale chorus of singing in the distance.

"Singing?" Mira asked as she stood up, her gaze trying to pierce the foliage nearby.

"We should check it out. Could be people on a picnic…or something?" Levy suggested with a shrug.

"Making contact could be a good thing? After all, I don't really see anything to suggest a hostile environment" Kagura input. Quickly reaching an agreement, the four started to move through the forest toward the sound of joyous laughter and warm melodies.

Pushing past branches of leaves dripping with sunshine as small birds fluttered their wings above, the four could feel shafts of light piercing the canopy of foliage above. It was randomized…but seemed to heal their souls as they walked toward the singing.

In ten minutes, they reached a small clump of trees as Levy and her friends crouched down to peer past the branches.

"Fralalalala! What day is it today, woodsy beaver?" a young bear asked as it pranced around with a dozen other creatures. They were all smiling and hopping around, their voices a melody as their eyes seemed to sparkle with kindness. Skunks and rabbits…young fawns and squirrels were part of this strange group as they kept frolicking and singing. Sunlight actually sparkled down on the whole group, creating a vibrant scene as two chipmunks smiled and waved at each other. Their grins were wide and warm with not a hint of malice.

"Tralalalala! The Magical Sunshine Forest is the best place ever!"

"I hope we make some more wonderful friends to spread our happiness!"

"It's…Time for friendship!" the dancing beaver replied as it spread its hands…and actually formed a rainbow of vibrant colors between its palms.

"Yaaayyyyyy!" A rabbit cheered as it held a small bouquet of yellow flowers. Turning to the deer, it handed them to its friend.

"Friendship forever!"

"Forever and ever!"

"What the hell?" Mira asked her three compatriots as they spied on the clearing.

"This is very…odd" Erza agreed as she continued to observe the singing and dancing woodland critters.

"They seem friendly?" Kagura input as Levy scowled.

"I don't trust them. This is obviously a trap. There is no fucking way anything could be this happy all the time. You need drugs for that"

"….Your suffering from madness again. These animals are just like Happy. So what if they sing? It's obvious they're peacef—"

The treeline across the clearing moved, the branches parting as three visitors made themselves known as a muscular man took the lead. Standing with a piece of strange technology on his arm and a body almost concealed by a patchwork of dark red and grey armor, only his face was visible….which was adorned with a skull resting on top of his cranium as several paint lines decorated the white. It flowed seamlessly with the numerous spikes protruding from his shoulder and kneecap armor as the man eyed the woodland creatures who had paused in their dancing.

Next to him was a young man with dark hair of a length reaching his chin. Obviously less…muscular than the six foot behemoth next to him, this male had pale skin with a tint of yellow. Clothed in a long robe of purple, yellow and brown decorations, the outfit was completed by a purple cloth piece over his mouth and leather shoulder pads of mostly brown.

Too the left of the young man was the third visitor…a creation Levy was sure she would never see again. A watermelon standing on short legs and reaching a height of only two feet. The face was neutral, betraying no emotion as it crossed its arms with a scowl as the woodland creatures blinked…then jumped with joy.

"YAAYYYYY! We made some new friends! And their mungos!" the closest rabbit squealed with happiness as rainbow sparkles danced around its eyes.

"Freddy? Which one of these things should I eat first?" Krograll asked as he studied all the creatures.

"DON'T DO THAT! They're peaceful creatures! Why do you have to try and eat and kill everything!?"

"Master Krograll is correct. My rage senses say so" Normal face stated with ease, his eyes watching a deer approach with…a magic smile.

"You mungo's are silly! Friends don't eat friends! Ah! We should do the new friend's song! Fra-la-la-! FRIENDS!"

Half of them burst into spontaneous song, skipping and dancing among embers of magic as the other side of the clearing shifted…and a blue haired woman burst from the underbrush.

"NORMALFACE! YOUR ALLRIGHT!" Levy shouted with glee as she ran and weaved through the dancing group of animals. Scooping up the watermelon seconds later, she rubbed her cheek against his green hide.

"Don't do that you crazy woman! He'll try to kill you!" Freddy shouted as Krograll blinked…then cast his gaze as three more women appeared in heavy armor and carrying serious looking rifles.

"Mistress Levy…it has been a long time" Normal face uttered…then found his face pressed further into her chest plate. "Hrmghh…"

"AAHHH! THIS IS GREAT! I HAVE MY FRIEND BACK!"

"Uhh…I'm confused? Why the hell is Levy hugging that watermelon?" Kagura asked as several woodland critters danced around her with springing steps.

"Fra-la-la-la! More new friends! Friends! Friends! FRIENDSHIP IS HOW THIS SONG IS SUNG!" The bear finished as wafts of rainbow energy rose from its paws. It sparkled like a stream of light, punching toward the clear blue sky as white, puffy clouds danced on wafts of air.

"Okay, Ignoring that. Basically, it's one of Levy's creations. It was supposed to safeguard her lab in universe one thousand-A, but there was…an incident and it was lost to the multiverse" Mira explained lightly as the bear moved to the center of the clearing.

"All my friends! We've made new friends! And their mungo's!"

"What the hell are mungo's?" Erza asked, her gaze looking down at the critters.

"Mungo's are what we call your kind!" A squirrel answered before it slapped its tiny paws to its bulging cheeks. "Oh my! We should let all our friends know of our new Mungo friends! They'll want to meet them too and share our happiness!"

"YEAH! LET'S TELL ALL OUR FOREST FRIENDS!" the animals chorused as they scampered off to the north. Leaving the human's and watermelon, the visitors dismissed the gathering clouds above. After all…even magical forests had rain.

Finally setting Normal-face down after another solid minute of hugging, Levy grinned as she studied the creature.

"Wow! Just look at how you've grown! And those are some fancy, brown boots and gloves!"

"Indeed! I have grown much Miss Levy. And these boots were taken from a zombie midget…he didn't scream which…enraged me…"

"Hey. Blue chick. You know my friend here?" Krograll asked simply as he eyed the path the creatures had went. _"I should've eaten one…"_

"Sure do! I created him after all!" Oh! Speaking off…I should check his bio systems…" the short woman simply told the man as she turned back to the watermelon.

"Control Command: McGarden one. Gajeel is a pink princess"

"Password accepted" Normal face uttered as his voice took on a heavy monotone. His eyes glowed blue…then projected a hovering display screen in the middle of the forest.

"WHAT THE HELL! I DIDN'T KNOW HE COULD DO THAT!" Freddy cried out as he took a step back.

"Of course you didn't. Nobody knew until right now…hmmm…okay. His parameters look good…kill count is normal. Primary mission to feed on rage and protect women for Natsu is functioning properly…oh? What's this…?"

"What? Is something wrong with…your watermelon?" Kagura asked in curiosity as the sky above seemed to darken at a frightening pace.

"No. Of course not. Just his rage capacity is already at ninety three percent…he must've been feeding much of his anger in battle…" Hitting a few light keys, Levy made some minor selections before closing the window.

"I don't even care…I'll just chalk it up to Levy being crazy" Mira shrugged as a light rumble from the heavens made her look up. The sky was rapidly darkening, almost taking on a nighttime hue as more thunder rumbled…along with flashed of red lightning. _"When did a storm roll in? I guess it can happen even here too…but the timing seems odd…"_

"Hey. Levy right? Did you by chance program Normal face to attack certain people on sight?"

"Kinda? what's your point?"

"Because from what I heard from Normal Face's mouth and from what I seen, I guess you came across numerous different versions of Kariax and Major Vomo who weren't exactly friendly towards your guild? Since every time he sees our two friend's he keeps jumping on them and biting them"

"Wait... you KNOW those mercenary fucks?" Erza cried out, her fist clenched as she ground her teeth. She despised their existence…and these men here knew them?

"Who are we talking about?" Kagura inquired as more thunder rumbled above. The nearby branches rustled, the tint of ozone and coming rain apparent to all gathered in the clearing.

"They're like the men from that last universe…useless gutter trash" Mira snarled, her fingers curling hard against the lancer in her arms

"Yep! They wouldn't call themselves mercenaries though, they just do whatever they want, like me. It's funny, every time Normal Face sees them he shouts about ripping them to shreds only to keep biting and hanging off of them while they continued on with whatever _they_ do. They were usually annoyed by it, but they got used to it. It's funny see two guys who have a killer watermelon constantly biting them all over as they continued on their day"

"Don't remind me of my constant failure... they should easily be torn apart... but yet they're not like the others I've killed... I hate it...my rage…suffers…"

"Don't worry Normal Face I'm sure you'll have a chance one day"

"DON'T ENCOURAGE IT YOU IDIOT!"

"It's fine, they managed to handle worse after all"

"That's not the point you dumbass…" Freddy whispered in heavy depression at Krograll who was gaining a new scowl.

"This is bori-!"

'_**BBBBOOOOOOOOOMMMM!'**_

An ear splitting shockwave raced through the trees, almost knocking down the human's. Their ears were ringing…like someone had blown up a hundred bells in the forest. And almost immediately after the wave, a pulse of black light had followed before it passed through their bodies.

Gritting her teeth, Mira tried to shake off the vibration in her molars as she looked toward the source…then looked up as she leaned a hand against a tree. Her magic felt just like the walking dead universe…she couldn't activate it as she watched the ominous skyline.

A sinister pillar of velvet black light was piercing the heavens as clouds swirled around like a high altitude hurricane. They crackled with red lightning, the darkness taking on a crimson hue as the magical beam continued to pump upwards.

"Ugh…Whatever the fuck that was, it cut off my magic" Kagura observed as she stumbled. Finding her balance, she saw everybody was okay for the time being…then the wall of foliage to the north stirred…

The leaves parted on their own, showing the human's what lied beyond.

A rabbit…A giant rabbit with a meat cleaver almost the size of his body stood there as a breastplate of armor protected his torso. It was covered with milk white bones…human bones as his furry face was painted with red streaks…almost like battle paint.

Behind him were more large rabbits…and upright bears brandishing maces. They grinned savagely, the palms open as they padded the melee weapons lightly. And of course…the singing woodland critters were there…Except this time, their eyes glowed red and their teeth were insidiously sharper.

The lead rabbit stepped forward, the sharpened blade reflecting a bolt of red lightning as it grinned.

"You younglings did excellent. A whole group of Mungo's for slaughter"

"Hehehe! I told you we made new friends!" a squirrel chuckled as its red eyes grew more sinister.

Levy leaned toward Krograll, a knowing look on her face.

"Totally called it. Soon as I saw them, I knew they were fucked up"

"Makes complete sense"

"THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!" Freddy shot back before pointing at the rabbit leader. "AND YOU! JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE MUNGO'S!?"

"Mungo's are human's…our nourishment. Every year, those ripe pigs wander into our forest…and we dine for days. We will rip your eyes from you head…skin you alive and feast on your flesh. Your blood will feed the plants and your screams of pain will bring us enterta-!"

'**BANG! BANG! BANG!'**

Erza's lancer spat fire as a small grouping of slugs snapped through the air. The back skull of the lead rabbits head blew outward, spreading a cone of brain matter and chunks of gore onto a nearby rabbit soldier.

"The only man that gets to eat me is Natsu" the red head stated as the raised lancer barrel let out a waft of smoke. Watching the body of the machete wielder fall, the woman was sure in her statement.

"Um Erza…are you sure you want that as your opening line to this battle?" Kagura asked as more snarls and howls filled the air from all directions.

"I…oh…I see…" The woman blushed as the first raindrops started to fall. She had uttered that out loud…in front of complete strangers. Feeling the drops of water on her head, the knight tried to ignore it…but it felt, wrong somehow. It smelled of copper…was too heavy.

"Oh god…is this blood? IS IT RAINING BLOOD!?" Freedy screamed in horror as more crimson liquid pattered against the forest…and the humans slowly forming a defensive circle.

"This rain is great!"

"SHUT UP KROGRALL! THIS IS SERIOUS!"

"This will be excellent fuel…for my rage…"

Levy smirked, glad to have her watermelon back as she studied another group of animal monster's making their way closer…then some of the tree branches moved on their own.

"Oh…the plants are moving"

"Levy…try to be more worried about this" Mira said in concern as she stood next to Kagura…and revved up her lancer.

"They killed…THEY KILLED CAPTAIN FLUFFY! SKIN THEM ALIVE!" One of the mace wielding bears screamed as its muscles went taught. Swinging the club in challenge, it let out a beastly roar as the murderous animals charged forward in the blood falling rainstorm.

Up above, red lightning cracked the sky, shaking the earth as the first sounds of gunfire started to snap and pierce the air.

"STUPID MUNGO'S! I'LL KILL ALL YOUR FRIENDS…FOR FRIENDSHIP!" Woodsy Beaver screamed with female animal rage as her eyes glowed…then snapped out a beam of laser light. It burned like ozone, mixing in with the torrent of blood as it speared toward Kagura.

The woman dropped down onto her stomach, taking cover behind a low log as the beam burnt the air above.

"SERIOUSLY! THEY HAVE LASER EYE'S!" She screamed in frustration. Setting the barrel of her lancer on the log, Kagura fired back. Bullets snapped out, punching into the beaver's body as the lead destroyed its lungs in mere moments. Ducking back down as more laser blasts converged on her position, the black haired mage grabbed a grenade from her belt…and threw with all her might.

The orb landed with a soft thud near a cluster of deer, their eyes glowing red as more blasts of murder flew from the irises. Their teeth were a hideous snarl, sharpened like razor fangs as more blood rained from the sky.

'**BOOM!'**

Shrapnel shredded flesh, the burning metal flying with reckless abandon as limbs were severed. One of the monstrous deer had lost two legs, its stomach ripped open from the proximity as it squealed and screamed like a hyena.

"OH YEAH! NOW WERE TALKING!" Krograll smirked as he pulled out a flamethrower…and unleashed a stream of jellified fuel toward a line of moving trees. They lit alight, plant-like screams howling over the blood storm as fire licked and crackled among the bark. Freddy dodged, rolling toward the red soaked dirt and grass as the flames whooshed over his head.

"WATCH IT! AND WHERE DID YOU GET THAT FLAMETHROWER!?"

"Thanks Freddy! It's pretty awesome, isn't it!' Krograll replied as the plant-life before him burned. The blood on the trees popped and hissed, mixing in with the carnage as the man laughed like a madman.

"YOU DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION!"

Freddy was ignored, hiding behind Krograll as the blue haired woman seemed to vibe in unison with his insanity.

"HAHAHAHA! KILL THEM ALL!" Levy howled as she fired a heavy burst at three charging bears. Her face was dripping with blood, mixing in with her madness as her L.M.G. chattered. Machine gun rounds punched through hard flesh, tumbling and churning with ruin. One was killed instantly, four bullets destroying its heart as the other two tried to scramble forward despite their impending doom and grievous wounds.

"MUNGO'S ARE FOOD!" A bear screamed, its left arm severed by Levy's gunfire as it raised the heavy mace in a suicidal charge.

Normal face ran forward, his tiny boots squelching the blood soaked soil as rivulets of red trailed down his face. Gunfire and laser blasts from the animals screamed around him, a constant reminder of the field they were in. Twin beams from a tiny, snarling rabbit burned the air steps before him, but missed as they splashed against a large rock.

"BEHOLD MY RA-!"

The one armed bear swung it's nail enshrouded mace, connecting with the watermelon as its body flew apart in fruity gore. Seeds flew, hitting the ground as the two halves lay still as the warm rain continued to fall on the corpse.

"NORMAL FACE! NOOOOOOO!" Levy wailed…then snarled in fury as aimed at the killing bear. Firing another burst of heavy rounds as more lightning and thunder cracked the heavens, she made the monster pay. Bullets smashed into its kneecaps, shattering bone and sinew with sickening cracks as the beast fell forward. It howled, one of the lower legs breaking off as Levy approached with murder in her eyes.

"You…fucking mungo…I'll skin your flesh…rape your eye sockets…" The sentient creature cursed at the female. A smattering of bullets slammed into the third bear, courtesy of Mira who covered Levy as she found a new target.

"Nah…you won't" Stabbing the bayonet into its head, the blade slid free as the abomination died. Four eye laser blasts hissed through the air, burning the falling blood as Levy dove behind the body. Using it as cover, she returned fire as Normal Face started to stitch and weave himself back together.

"Great kill Levy! Get up close and personal!" Krograll cheered out as the man sent more jets of fuel into the forest. Monstrous animals and trees screamed, their bark and skin set ablaze by fuel. A large rabbit tried to run toward the traveling man, its entire body on fire as the flesh melted in the falling crimson.

"Killl…Mungo's…." The damaged throat tried to say…even as fire ate at the nerves and cooked flesh.

"HAHAHAHA! YOU LOOK LIKE ICE CREAM!" Firing off another stream of burning napalm, the fire washed over the charging battle rabbit as it screamed. With one final step as it fell, the large creature tried to attack Freddy…and collapsed a foot away with teeth like wolverine's claws.

"Woah…that rabbit guy really wanted to eat you, huh?" Krograll asked his younger friend as he sent more bursts of napalm into the eastern part of the clearing. By now it was a burning inferno of death and destruction as countless killer trees and magical creatures met their end…and cooked among the falling blood and random laser fire.

Erza crouched behind a low rock with Mira, both women covering the attack from the north as more nightmarish creatures raced forth. Even the tiny squirrels and rabbits were deadly, their fangs seeming to grow longer and sharper with each passing minute. Ducking down as a duck flapped its blade wings and sent another eye blast toward them, Erza blind fired into the forest. A fowl scream was heard, meaning she must have hit something.

Wiping some of the falling blood away from her eyes, Erza knew it was pointless as warm trickles of the horrific liquid poured down her neck and trailed along her back. It was starting to reach places she didn't like.

"Seriously…A literal storm of blood…at least you're a proper red head now" The knight scowled as she crouched to reload with a small grin.

"Oh…shut up Erza" Mira growled out. It was true though. Her beautiful white locks were going crimson now…soaked with falling blood as more ran down her Gear armor and lovely face and past her eyebrow scar. Popping up, her lancer echoing with gunfire as she killed a large buck that had grown two heads. The deer next to it snarled, showing off the rows of horrendous teeth right below its bulbous red nose…then stood up on its hind legs.

"I am…RUDOLFH! KING OF THE DEER! I will wear your face as a mask you fucking mungo food!" The younger buck bellowed as its hind legs thickened. Crackling sounds of growing muscle…sickening pops of bone breaking or morphing into new arrangements rose above the gore storm. The hooves split…forming digits that soon formed claws of bone as its red nose started to glow.

"The flesh is doomed now! PREPARE FOR YOUR END!" A large rabbit screamed as it jumped high…then landed right behind Erza and Mira. It turned to face Erza, the maw already opening with rancid spittle and rows of deadly, horrible teeth.

She barely had time to spin and block with Strawberry, the lancer dropped for the moment as the teeth bit into the braced baseball bat.

"God damn…your breath smells like shit…" Erza uttered as the vile stench of blood and death reached her nostrils. The sound of a chainsaw spinning up made her smirk as more blood flowed down her face.

"Eat shit and die!" Mira shouted, her lancer saw biting into the exposed rear collarbone of the attacking rabbit. Skin and fur flew, mixing in with bone fragments as M.J. squinted her eyes from the spray of viscera.

"GGRRAAAAHHHHH!" The nightmare screamed as chainsaw teeth bit and dug their way down into its chest cavity. Warm gore and chunks of unidentified organs splattered against both women, ensuring they were even more soaked with vile material.

"I'm so jealous! I wanna kill something with a chainsaw!" the armored man pouted from across the clearing as he kept burning and killing…his armor covered in burnt ash and blood.

"Don't be jealous of that!"

"MUNGO SKINNER COTTON TAIL! NOOOOOO!" Two large and hideously scarred rabbits screamed…then snarled as the murderous reindeer kept powering up. Crouching down, they were about to jump when a six round burst from Kagura turned one of their mouth's of daggers into a nightmare of shattered bone fragments and blood. It slumped to the gore soaked ground, dead among countless others as two trees closed the gap.

The second rabbit jumped, a large mace in its heavy paws as it aimed for the prone woman near the log. She was already filthy…red dirt and soil covering her armor as she rolled out of the way.

"AHHH!" she cried, barely avoiding the crushing blow as more sinister beams of light burnt the air above her.

"I will use your entrails as a necklace…" the muscular, upright rabbit the size of Elfman uttered as it raised the mace once more.

Kagura pulled the trigger…and 'click' was the only sound she heard. Her face paled, the monster leering down at her with hungry intent as it ran a forked tongue over its vile lips.

"Stupid human. Your screams will be music to all my slain brothers today…" It hissed as the mace raised higher into the falling rain of crimson. The fact that this had befallen her in the span of two seconds…Kagura scrambled for her side-arm, knowing it was her last chance.

"FUCK NO! SHE'S JOINING THE SISTERHOOD! AND WILL HAVE SULTRY SEX WITH MYSELF AND NATSU!" Scarlet roared as she swung her barbwire-nail bat into the abomination's temple.

'_**Crunch!'**_

Bone caved in from the deadly blow, knocking the murderous forest dweller to the soil as the mace flew from it's pawed hands.

"That…THAT'S WHAT YOUR RESCUE LINE IS!?" Kagura barked out from the ground, her palm resting in a blood puddle as Erza grinned.

"Damn right. The two of us will have a great threesome with Natsu someday" she said nonchalantly as she raised her bat…and struck the monsters head again. A bit of skull flew away, the gore not even adding to the carnage around her as she beat the cranium three more times with easy savagery.

An eye beam sizzled past her face, burning strands of her crimson hair. Snarling, Erza promptly pulled her boltok and shot the red-eyed owl in the face. The head exploded, a nightmare of paste and bone as Rudolph's nose burned brighter.

"PREPARE FOR YOUR END!"

It pulsed…the tip starting to spark as dozens of large bears, upright rabbits, and now…muscular clawed deer grinned from the edges of the clearing. They knew the deer king would carry the day as a new bright tint of bright red glowed. A trio of walking oak trees lumbered forward, picking up the deceased…and opening their trunks. Lines of vertical teeth bit down on the severed limbs and torso's, crunching and chewing with disgust as bones were broken and pulverized. Bits of gore dripped down their…chins as some opened their eyes with waving branches.

"_Nutrients…_"

"God…that looks like a Galgamek vagina…" Levy cringed in disgust as the trees continued to cannibalize the corpses.

"I don't know why you had to say that, but you should kill Rudolph the red nosed reindeer!" Freddy screamed out, his finger pointing downrange as the red rain poured onto his head. The man was distracted by the chaos around him, not even sensing the immediate danger. He didn't feel the snaking tendril wrapping around his ankle until it was too late. It yanked, pulling him toward the southern treeline as a maple opened its trunk, the teeth already red and covered with stringing flesh from freshly fallen corpses.

"AHHHH! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" the young man screamed as he was pulled closer and closer.

"Relax Freddy! I'll totally eat that guy later! Hmmm…murder deer…" Krograll grinned as he burned more carnivorous trees to his front.

"RESUCE ME DAMMIT!"

"Does he always complain this much?" Levy asked as the man was dragged across the bloody grass past numerous burnt and dismembered corpses.

"I guess?"

"KROGRALLL!"

Levy shot the flesh vine, freeing the man as he threw the tendril away and scampered back toward the other humans. Gasping for air, he bent over as the fighting raged around him.

"Thanks…Levy…AND YOU BASTARD! I COULD'VE DIED!"

"Yeah! You would have!"

"Don't sound happy about it!"

"You mungo's…prepare for you demise. Just know your charred corpses will feed this forest and pave the way for more growth" Rudolph snarled once more as the glowing tip on his nose reached a fever pitch and burning whine of noise.

'Oh yeah…he was powering up…" Levy muttered as she turned her attention toward a three headed bear…with a fourth mouth in its stomach. Killing it with a heavy staccato of gunfire, she ignored the deer king. After all…Normal Face had reformed.

"MY RAGE IS AT NINETY EIGHT PERCENTTTT!" The watermelon howled as he ran forward…and leaped onto the deer's furry face of absolute horror.

"It's too late…melon creature…"

The nose pulsed…then a massive beam of murderous, red light crackling with electricity burned through the air. It was a massive cone of death, putting all the other tiny beams to shame as the circumference was easily two feet wide.

"SHIT! GET DOWN!" Mira yelled in fear as she tackled Erza to the ground…just as the air burning beam washed over their heads like a horrid buzzing of hornets. The rock cropping they had used for cover…was simply vaporized from the beams power as it missed both women by mere centimeters.

"_I think I can smell my hair burning with that one!"_ Mira thought in horror as she stayed prone under the attack.

"IM DEFINITELY EATING THIS GUY NOW!" Krograll promised as he flung himself to the mud, his face burying near the burnt corpses of…something he killed.

"STOP THINKING ABOUT EATING THE MONSTER!" Freddy howled in terror as he covered his head. Sparing a glance at Levy, the woman was prone on the ground, firing at a grotesque and mutated Koala that had mutated into something vile.

"I really should have a giant laser too…" Levy mentioned casually…as the beam cut a swath of destruction through the forest…and killed countless magical creatures as the trees burst into flame from the crackling heat. It howled and snapped, a complete 180 degree cone of devastation that reached almost a mile away…and left nothing in its wake except twisted corpses and living, screaming trees.

"How…how did you survive that…and GET OFF MY FACE YOU STUPID WATERMELON!" the head monster demanded, its nose now powered down as the human's slowly stood up and admired the devastation.

"Well…we ducked? Not our fault you can't aim for shit" Erza shrugged as more blood sluiced down her chestplate. _"Ugh…its everywhere now…just like the riftworm…at least Wendy doesn't have to see something like this…"_ Holstering her lancer for the time being, she made her murderous bat the new weapon of choice as she slung it over her shoulder…and eyed the pillar to the north as it pulsed into the sky.

"Just you wait! I just need five minutes to recharge my blast then I'll butcher you mun—" Rudolph tried to say…but never finished his evil rant.

"RRRRAAAAGGGGEEE!" Normal face bellowed in furious bloodlust…then bit down onto the dimly, glowing snout with his regrown, meat tearing teeth.

"AAAAAAAUUUUGHHHH!" Rudolph screamed in desolate pain as skin, fur and warm flesh was pulled away. Nerves flared and sinew snapped with the crunching of bone…then the laser nose was no more as the watermelon spit it out onto the gruesome soil.

"My…snnooought" the monster cried as his attacker leaped off and did a small backflip. Landing among dead creatures, it leaned forward as it snarled.

"Time for my 'Happy Dance…" Legs coiled and sprung him toward the barrel chest of the upright deer. Landing a heavy blow, he knocked the magical nightmare onto it's back…then started to dig into its chest.

"YES! BEHOLD THE POWER OF MY HATE! FRA-LA-LAAA!" N.F. yelled joyously as he pulled away bits of skin and muscle. Digging in further, he pulled out strands of intestine and gore…then proceeded to dance and weave with happiness.

Kagura grimaced, watching the horror play out as she looked back at Levy from the cover of her log. "Why…why the hell is he disemboweling that thing!?"

"It's his happy dance! He unleased the natural rage of watermelons!" Levy replied back as she dodged another swipe from a lumbering beaver five feet tall. It had become a grotesque abomination…the tail a horror of spikes while the fur melted from its body. Simply put, it was skinless with exposed nerves, pulsating veins, and bulbous muscle.

"OH! FUCKING DIE!" She cried out before trying to fire again. Her L.M.G. clicked empty…but that wouldn't stop her. Running forward, she leaped and stabbed it in the head with her bayonet…spraying more blood onto herself as the sky fell harder.

"YEAH! MORE KILLING!" Krograll grinned as he kept burning the forest around him.

"You two are having way too much fun with this!" Erza mentioned as she blocked a duck's three pronged claw with Strawberry. The bone grated against the metal, sparking in the red rain as she pushed it off with a grunt. It stumbled, almost tripping on some roots…but its fate was sealed as Erza swung her trusty companion.

Barb wire and blood covered nails dug into the…ducks deformed head, the blow shattering sharpened teeth as it howled. Splinters flew among its cries of agony, but Erza didn't stop as her anger grew.

"YOU MONSTERS WILL DIE!" she screamed as she swung once more. The cranium caved in, showering her chest plate with new gore as bits of brain matter landed in her hair.

"Dammit! There's just no end to them!" Mira shouted as she ducked behind the half destroyed rock outcropping. Another burning eye blast sizzled against the boulder, revealing the location of the attacker…which was some horrific ball of meat with eyes. If it had been an animal before…she couldn't tell now.

Rising up, she fired at the horrific sight as streams of red blood continuously raced down her face and armor. The fact that she knew there was…more of it under her Gear plates made her feel just awful, but now wasn't the time to fret over falling blood. Firing a six round burst, the bullets impacted the orb of skin and muscle, blowing it apart as Kagura kept firing to her left.

The woman was still prone, firing over the log at any creature that tried to attack the still dancing watermelon.

"Get back here Normal-Face! Your exposed there!" Kagura ordered as she killed yet another beast emerging from the trees. She gulped as it pulled more intestines free...and whipped a murderous rabbit across the face with the strand of gristle.

"_God…is this my new normal now?"_ The mermaid thought as she felt blood pooling in places. Standing up as the incoming laser fire diminished, she hurried over to Erza as boots splashed redness everywhere.

"Erza! I need a flam—"

"YESSS! RAGE AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!" the killing melon shouted above the battlefield as he stood tall.

"Alright Normal-face! Great job!" Krograll gave a thumbs up as he shoved the business end of his flamethrower into the stomach of a berserker sized squirrel…with six arms. Squeezing the trigger as it squealed, flame shot up through its body as its nerves burned.

"Like that, Levy?" the man asked as he performed the execution.

"Perfect!" the woman relied with a thumbs up as she turned toward the melon. "Unleash your power! Do it now Normal-face!" she cried with joy and admiration…as she killed another monster with a brutal stabbing. The fact is that they were all covered head to toe with blood and gore now didn't faze her as the two foot creature started to glow a bright yellow.

The battle seemed to pause as the strange creation glowed brighter, his bloody hide still covered with intestinal guts as rain fell and slid down his curves. But he could feel it…the surge of new power fueled by his murdering and rage.

"Yes…YES!" Taking a stance as he raised his arms to the sky, Normal Face grew even brighter as his body glowed like the sun.

"ULTIMATE BATTLE OMEGA FORMATION! SAMURAI BRETHREN SOPPAKKU!"

His body started to grow new armor…a samurai suit of watermelon plates as a green sword formed and hummed in his gloved hand…almost like a tiny lightsaber. A true samurai helmet came to rest on his head, but the melon wasn't done as he pointed the light blade to the sky as rays of light burst from his aura.

"MISS LEVY! MASTER KROGRALL! CHOOSE YOUR ARMOR!"

"BATTLE MEAT SUIT!" Levy shouted with joy as a bolt of lightning crashed into her from the heavens…and covered the area around her in a heavy, pink mist.

"WAR BANANA! I WANT A BANANA SUIT!" Krograll hollered out…and was hit by a bolt of yellow lightning moments later.

"I really have no idea what the hell is happening anymore…" Mira groaned out as she reloaded, the small respite giving them a chance to catch their breath. Glancing at Levy through the pouring rain, she couldn't really believe this was one of her friends.

The raining gore pushed the mist away…revealing the crazy, short woman in a…a meat suit. Slabs of steaks, hams and sausage links covered her torso, arms and most of her body. Venison shoulder pads hunched near her neck as a helmet of…beef enshrouded her hair. Clenching a fist covered in bacon, the insane woman smiled darkly in the middle of the battlefield.

"Seriously…you think she would choose something that makes sense…" Kagura muttered as her blue haired friend stomped forward…and leveled her arms outward.

Then next to her stood Krograll…his body and armor wrapped in a banana suit as he hefted his flamethrower.

"Why…? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SOMETHING LIKE THAT!?" Freddy hollered at his friend who smirked.

"I wanted to kill things as a banana. That should be obvious, Freddy. NOW PREPARE FOR BANANA HORROR WITH PEANUT BUTTER!" Running forward toward the northern part of the clearing, he jumped past Erza and the other two women. Landing on top of a corpse, he laughed hysterically as the soldier sent another jet of burning fuel into the ranks of monsters.

"Don't hog them all you bastard! STEAK MISSLE!" Levy joined in as a piece of steak launched from her suit…and landed among a knot of four, large rabbits that were snarling and howling with rage. After all, their main offensive weapon in this sector had just been destroyed.

'_**BOOOOM!'**_

The steak exploded in a burst of burning shrapnel and flinging gore, consuming the four monsters in a ball of hate as their limbs were ripped from their bodies. One lost its head, the orb tumbling near Normal Face's feet as the watermelon grinned. Gripping the tiny lightsaber, he charged forward with a battle cry…and sliced through a mutated deer's body as it tried to swipe six inch steel claws at the tiny samurai. The stench of burning flesh was lost among the rain…not that it mattered at this point.

Intestines spilled out, like a flow of spaghetti as another meat missile howled overhead. It exploded nearby, taking out more monsters with horrific ease as flecks of shrapnel hit the melon's face. Standing on the recent kill as intestines covered his boots, he pointed the tiny lightsaber forward.

"R…RETREAT! FALL BACK TO THE TEMPLE! WE MUST WARN OUR GOD!" A two headed bear with two bulbous, yellow eyes on its shoulders blinking silently. It was hunchbacked…missing parts of its skin as more magical creatures started to fall backward into the forest. They were heading toward the pulsating beam hitting the sky as they scampered, with only a few escaping as the three normal women fired into their backs without mercy. Bodies fell from gunfire and exploding meat bombs while streams of napalm lit the carnivorous trees like matchsticks.

"FORWARD! FOR THE JOY OF KILLING!"

"YEAH! MEAT SUIT!"

"BANANA!"

"Seriously…how did our day come to this?" Kagura groaned. Looking around at the horrific field of monster corpses and the raining blood, she sighed heavily.

"It's the multiverse? Anything can happen" Erza shrugged toward her friend as she studied that distant tower of black light. "Hey Levy? How much time do we have left?"

"Uhh…" Moving some meat off her wrist mounted readout, she wiped some blood away. "About three and a half hours. More than enough time to reach that pillar and kill their fucking god" she smiled savagely as Krograll nodded in his banana suit.

"I like how you think. This day wouldn't be complete without killing a god. Banana"

"Don't start adding banana to the end of your sentences! And we should just leave…I was almost eaten…again…" Freddy cried as he shivered.

"No way! This way too much fun. Banana"

"YOU DID IT AGAIN!"

"I've been eaten too. Don't worry about it, Freddy" Erza said nonchalantly as she swung her nail wire bat through the air…testing its swing.

"Then let's go kill this fucking forest…banana" Mira grinned as she revved up her lancer. Marching forward, she joined Levy and the others as they started to push north toward the origin of the desolate light that burned the sky.

"She's doing it too…" Freddy groaned as Kagura joined him.

"If it makes you feel better…this is the fifth universe I've ever been too. It's been crazy and horrifying. The only nice one was with the Grand Magic Games…and I suppose Germany when we were helping advance their war industry" the gravity mage stated, her boots crunching the decapitated head of some creature as they walked behind the group.

"It really doesn't…at all…" the young priest murmured as he wiped blood from his brow. Staying close to the woman, he correctly determined she was the most…sane out of everybody here.

The tiny samurai with Krograll and Levy were in front, killing and burning a path of destruction before them as Mira and Erza picked off any stragglers to the side. But that didn't mean Kagura let her guard down as her rifle was gripped firmly in her hands…despite the red liquid covering everything now.

"That…really sucks…I just want to go home…"

"Me too. But we're stuck shifting through universes with no determined path or destination. It's all random chance until Levy figures out how to drain our bodies of these…quantum elements. She tried to explain it to me once…I didn't get it at all"

"Wait…so when she said three and a half hours?"

"Yup. We shift away to who knows where"

"That's really crappy. At least me and Krograll can go home whenever" Freddy replied as he stepped over some sort of skinless…murder monkey? He wasn't sure since its head had been bashed in courtesy of Erza moments before. Looking forward, he pushed past several burnt leaves and eyed that horrible pillar that sealed everybody's magic._ "I really hope nobody I know fell victim to this place…"_

Krograll stabbed another skinless tree monkey in the chest with his flamethrower before lighting it ablaze in a howl of fire. Its mouth opened in a silent scream, a jet of flame pouring from every orifice. Bits of ash and embers of burnt flesh stuck to his banana suit, the color slowly becoming a reddish yellow. Taking a look at the woman in the meat suit next to him, the larger male flung the dying corpse to the side with banana care.

"So Levy? Krograll tells me you created him while super drunk? How did you do that? Banana"

"MEAT LASER!"

A beam of cutting red and orange cut through the trees and horrendous wildlife, just missing Normal Faces head as she cut four retreating rabbits in half. Their intestines flopped to the gore soaked earth, cries of mercy falling on deaf ears as the watermelon laughed…and executed them with his tiny light sword.

"I just thought it would be cool to have a murdering melon around. I just didn't count on the natural rage and hatred laying dormant in watermelons…they're quite evil. Luckily, I managed to program him to protect children, pregnant females and women for Natsu…although I didn't include Romeo or Jellal in the protection list while I was shitfaced…" she pondered for a moment.

'_**SHHRRRIIIIEKKKK!'**_

A mutated Koala jumped from above, its body completely skinless as rancid pus and sores lined its mouth of broken teeth. The claws were like steel razors, glinting like hellish light in the brutal rain as it raised one to slash.

Levy's shoulder mounted steak swiveled on…more meat, a small echo of churning gristle…then it burst orange as more air sizzled from the lance of light. It passed through the yellow eyes, cauterizing it instantly as the corpse fell to earth. Stepping over it without a care, the short woman covered with meat sent more meat attacks into the canopy above.

"Yeah. Some people he'll just attack on sight…or just not help? Like if it came down to say…saving Lucy or Romeo, he'd save Lucy and…bottles of booze first before that raping little shit. I really don't get why my man was trying to make him stronger?" Another monster leapt at the two, which didn't end well for the creature as it was burned to ash by Krograll.

"Banana?"

"I guess Dragneel was trying to make sure he didn't end up like all those evil Romeo's? But he was killed so…whatever I guess? Eh…At least I apologized to the one with that Observer guy…WHO STOLE MY SANDWHICH! THAT STAR BASTARD!"

Raising her right wrist, bits of meat glowed purple before punching through the horrid rain…and sliced open a pack of erect wolves that resembled werewolves…with quivering, crawling skin. They had charged toward the trio…but were cut down in moments as Levy raised her hand away.

"I just wish that other Levy was here…the one watching all these Earthlands from universe twenty one A. I think she would've loved the killing and raining blood!" Tilting her head back, more of the warm liquid kissed her cheeks as she closed her eyes for a brief moment. "Yeah…she would have a damn blast here! After all, she is a complete psycho like me! She drinks and shoots her enemies in the kneecaps! And she made Gajeel wear a chicken suit! Although he likes to wear women's underwear and thinks Natsu is the best… Huh? I wonder if Bisca has slept with Natsu yet from that universe?" She pondered. Grasping her chin as red liquid flowed down her scarred cheek, the woman nodded as Erza swung her bat…and killed some sort of waterfowl with extreme prejudice.

Planting the weapon over her shoulder, the red head narrowed her eyes as she stepped over the deadly bird.

"Levy…are you sure that's how things happened in twenty one-A?"

"Of course I am! That other me was totally having sex dreams about Natsu and want's Evergreen to join in! Hell! She even wants to learn how to build laser guns! Or Nukes! YEAH! SHE COULD KILL ACNOLOGIA WITH ONE ATTACK! That Levy is so insane! She makes me look tame by comparison"

"Are you sure about that? Think clearly…_very clearly…"_ Scarlet emphasized as she cast a gaze to Kagura and Freddy…who were keeping a constant vigil for anything.

"I'm one hundred percent positive that Gajeel was a Natsu fanboy and Bisca wants to join my double as the top women for Natsu"

"Didn't Cana say that version of Bisca had Asuka with Alzack? And that they're married?" Mira implored, her gaze studying the meat suit armor of her friend who kept walking. The fat and exposed material glistened with blood, but was hardly an issue as the…steak missiles tracked for threats. _"Honestly…that thing defies the laws of nature…"_

"I'm pretty sure it wasn't like that...in all likely hood he was just a homeless guy sitting next to her…The real question is why those mages let a hobo into the guild? I mean…Grey smelled just as bad so they already had one…" Snapping her fingers, the woman had a new thought. "Gajeel was a porn pervert too. Kept staring at my awesome tits the whole time…yeah…that damn rust bucket…" Clenching a fist, she vowed to make the dragon slayer pay for imagined wrongs.

"I wasn't even there and I'm positive you've got all your facts wrong" Kagura stated as a distant scream echoed through the leaves. Gripping her lancer that dripped with blood, she spit some red away from her lips as her boots squelched the soil.

Krograll stopped, massaging his chin as his gloves brushed up against the face hole for his head in the suit. "Banana…"

"Your right! I shouldn't be assuming all Romeo Conbolts are shit bags…I should wait and see which ones try to rape Evergreen first! …THEN KILL HIM!" Levy responded with a clenched fist covered in bacon as her grin became savage once more.

"Banana…Banana"

"Yeah, I hope there is a big boss too!"

"She's just like Krograll…" Freddy groaned, his footsteps heavy as more monsters attacked Normal face and the others.

"Don't tell me you understand what he's saying right now!?" Mira inquired as she revved up her chainsaw. Shouting over the noise, the woman had run forward toward a maple tree, its trunk just starting to open into a maw of death. The deadly metal teeth of her weapon dug into the side, spraying blue sap all over her arms and chest as the carnivorous foliage screamed and wailed.

"Of course I can! He's speaking banana, and I know every language spoken by humans or aliens"

"Banana!"

"I do hear water! Great call Krograll!"

Cutting through seconds later, Mira wiped some bloody sweat from her brow as the tree toppled…and revealed the stream from their arrival as she ignored the two mad people. Except now it was a literal waterway of churning, frothing red as blood flowed past. Gulping from the flow of liquid, Mira turned away from the sight toward a path in the storm of blood, revealing a trail that the humans soon followed. After that…the attacks slowed down to a trickle, giving them a small respite in the forest of nightmares as they walked and cut through anything that tried to stop them.

For three hours they hacked and stabbed…shot and killed all types of monsters as the pillar of dark light pulsed and grew closer. Finally emerging through a thicket of thorns with bits of intestine on them, the humans finally arrived at the source.

"Ugh….I'm gonna be sick…" Kagura whispered as she took in the nightmare before her.

A black pyramid stood in the center of a brick courtyard lined with a low wall, the top opened to push out the pulsating beam of darkness. Torches lined the perimeter…but it wasn't wood burning in them…it was the body parts of deceased men, women and children. Stacks of organs and other horrors were strewn about in the lone plaza, being fed upon by…black unicorns with sinister green eyes as their lone horn glistened from gore. Their jaws chewed and bit, crunching bone between gnashing teeth as they sated their hunger.

Of course…hundreds of skulls lined the lone pathway toward the door in the temple as low thuds were heard. It rapidly grew louder from the looming entrance, an echoing of hooves as the group raised weapons.

"Ugh…this place reminds me of the riftworm…" Erza said with a gulp, her nose wrinkled from the stenches of loosened bowels and burning flesh in the continuous rain of blood from the sky.

"I don't know how your not a screaming mess, Erza. Some of the things you've seen would break people ten times over by now…" Kagura looked away from a unicorn as it pulled a string of sinew from a pile…then wretched. The smell…the sights of this place was too much as she threw up whatever food she had. Trying to wipe away the excess bile, she upchucked again as Mira set a hand on her shoulder.

"Ugh…so..sorry…" the mermaid tried to say as she looked up…and witnessed the source of the encroaching thumps.

"He will be wonderful to unleash my rage upon" Normal face uttered, his tiny green sword humming as Freddy tried to back away.

"What…what the hell is it!?" He cried out as his eyes tried to unsee the nightmare etched into his mind.

The creature was easily eight feet tall, standing on hooved goat legs that bent backwards. Covered in matted and grungy tassels of brown hair, it hid the power behind the limbs as the human's continued to take in its appearance.

A large torso of a goatish man rippled with muscle, multiple scars decorating the abdominals as massive arms hung at the sides. Each with sharpened talons, the fingers dripped with fresh gore as the head was finally revealed…which made no sense. A white globe of snow sat upon the neck with a black top hat, a carrot for a nose as its mouth opened around dark, black lips like coal…then a six foot tongue lashed out. It wavered and danced with a hiss, almost tasting the smoke filled air as beady, black eyes looked the humans.

"I am…FROSTY KRAMPUS! You dare to slaughter my magical children on the eve of our conquest!? This world is mine! All the filthy human's are my food! Mungo blood will flow as my forces butcher their cities and towns! And I will start with…yes… I recognize you Erza Scarlet…I see you have returned to try and stop me…even after I consumed the flesh of your friend, Jellal… He begged…as I ate his eyes…And tomorrow…I will send my unicorns to eat that fire bastard…the blonde with supple skin and fat breasts… Your family will only create more of us and wh-!"

"FINALLY! AN EVIL SANTA! YEEEEESSSSSS! BANANA MURDER!" Krograll charged, running across the plaza and kicking away some stray organs as his strange, banana suit jounced and weaved. Lifting up his flamethrower, he sprayed a stream of fuel at Krampus…but rolled to the side as three unicorns lowered their heads and fired a rainbow beam of death at the man.

"MEAT SUIT! HAHAHAHA!" Levy screamed with brutal joy as a rainbow beam bit off a piece of her armor. Ignoring it, she raised both wrists as crackling bacon light gathered.

'_**BZZZZZPPP!'**_

They sliced through the tow of the murderous horses, cauterizing singed flesh and fur as Mira, Erza and Kagura ran up the low wall surrounding the courtyard on the left. Right below the burning corpse of an old woman, some of the skin dripped like fat and fell against Mira's soaked, red hair. _"So…so wrong…what the hell is wrong with this world?"_ She asked herself in a shudder as some if the fat rolled past her earlobe…and made her skin crawl.

"FUCK! FUCK THIS SHIT UNIVERSE!" She screamed, standing up as she laid down heavy gunfire at the unicorns. She managed to nail one, the bullets blowing part of one's face as it neighed and howled. Ducking down as more multicolor blasts hissed and sizzled the air above, Mira grit her teeth as more dead skin flopped against her hair.

"JUST COVER LEVY!" Erza shouted over the din of gunfire as she blindfired over the lip of stone. Bullets and empty casings flew, landing among strewn flesh as beams of light chipped away at the wall. She didn't know if she hit one, but hopefully it helped keep them away as Freddy crouched behind her.

"FUCKING UNICORNS!" Kagura screamed with hate as she fired over the edge of cover. The rifle hammered against her shoulder, kicking with familiarity as bullets tore through a beast on her left. It sighed with a quick death, collapsing into a pile of filth. Ducking into cover as more laser blasts tried to kill her, Kagura reloaded as Mira hefted a grenade…and threw it toward a small grouping.

They scattered like startled deer, mainly avoiding the blast wave of shrapnel as it hissed and bit the air.

"Damn!" Mira uttered as she took aim and fired again, her bullets hitting the carnivorous horse in the flank as it screamed.

"GOD! Don't let me die from a killer unicorn!" Freddy cried behind the women as more incoming staccatos of energy fire drowned out the drum of red rain.

"HAHAHA! BANANA THROWER!" Krograll laughed maniacally as another stream of napalm left his flamethrower. His banana suit was tattered and singed, but still there as he and Levy mowed down countless enemies with flame and meat power. Both ducked low from Frosty's tongue lash, the appendage slicing through the air and a deadly horse that was in the middle of shedding its skin.

"You mungo's…Once I kill you all, I will have enough sacrifices to plunge this world into darkness! Death and feeding for ten thousand ye-!"

"WATERMELON LASER SWORD SAMURAI ATTACK!" Normal face screamed out as he leapt…and twisted in the air as he dodged the slashing tongue. Swinging his tiny lightsaber among the beams of rainbow light…he connected with Frosty Krampus's head. The lance of light sliced through the snowy cranium, spilling blackish goo over the stone as the god of the forest took one final step.

"My…my…for…est…"

It collapsed forward, landing in its own juices as Normal Face stood tall upon its back as more blood rained down. Wind fluttered, the set of armor collapsing as the four women finished off the few remaining creatures.

"Noooo! I wanted to kill the evil santa! Not fair! Banana!" Krograll wailed as he shook his fists at the black beam of light emerging from the temple.

"THAT'S WHAT YOUR UPSET ABOUT!?" Freddy shouted with a pointed finger as his traveling partner continued to curse the sky.

"I HAVE THE POWER OF BANANA! BUT TO WHAT END!?"

Levy sighed, the effects of her armor wearing off as the meat suit started to slide and slither off her body. It was burnt and bloodied…a former shell of itself from just a few hours before as the limit break from the melon ran out.

"Well…that was insane? But we should still kill that beam?" The short woman suggested as Normal face turned toward the temple.

"My rage is satisfied…"

"Nobody asked you" Mira scolded the fruit as she approached the entrance with Kagura and her other two friends.

"BANANAAAAA!"

"Ignore him" Kagura instructed as the four walked inside the darkened chamber of the pyramid. Splashes of gore and half eaten pieces of flesh littered the floor's and walls…obvious victims of the Krampus as the mermaid stepped in something…squishy. _"Ignore it…don't look down. It's probably something awful anyway…"_ she whispered in her head as a steady glow of red and black pulsed from the center of the room.

"If that's not something important, I'll eat a hat" Mira lightly joked as her eyes glowed a bit with reflective light. Before all four was an altar…with a single, glowing crystal hovering in the black as more pulses raced toward the sky. It was…evil. They could all sense the cries and whispers of anguished souls from the object as it floated in peaceful bliss.

'**BANG!'**

The gunshot rang out, echoing off the desolate walls as blood dripped down from the ceiling. But it was drowned out by the destruction of the crystal, the object blooming into a million shards as the beam of darkness started to fade….then blew outward in a sonic boom.

'_**BOOOOMMMM!'**_

The four were thrown off their feet, a strange energy wave washing past them as it raced outward in all directions. If they could see the effects, the four would find all the monsters in the forest crumbling to dust, leaving nothing behind as their bodies became ash….and food for pure life to take hold.

"Ugh…I…I think I can feel my magic again…" Mira coughed as she rolled to the side. Taking another deep gulp of putrid air, she could still…_taste_ what happened here.

"Yeah…and dammit Kagura! I wanted to destroy that thing!" Levy groaned out as she slowly sat up.

"Oh…who cares about your weird desire to kill things" the mermaid mage breathed out as she struggled up. Giving a low groan from how exhausting this day was, she picked up her fallen lancer. Inspecting the weapon, she found it in good order as Erza reattached Strawberry to her magnetized back plate.

"Levy? How much longer till we shift?"

"Uhh…" Wiping bits of blood from the device mounted on her left forearm, she eyed the countdown clock. "A few minutes. Well! Let's say bye to our new friends!" Spinning on her heel, the blood soaked woman kept her L.M.G. in hand as she strode out into the gathering sunlight.

"It's okay Krograll…I'm sure you can kill an evil Santa another time…" Freddy tried to sooth as the rain finally stopped.

"But I was so excited…banana" Looking toward the four women approaching, the man stood up with a grin.

"DAMN! That was really fun Levy! We should really kill together again sometime!"

"Heh. You should see me with my magic. Anyway…Normal face! Hat mode!" the short woman barked as the melon saluted.

"Yes, miss Levy!" Sprinting forward, the fruit sprung off its feet and did a flip before landing on the scientist's head. Wrapping its legs past her shoulders and resting his hands on her head, it stared out at the horrific plaza…then toward Freddy and Krograll.

"Hat mode activated"

"HE'S JUST SITTING ON YOUR HEAD!"

"Are you leaving…Normal face?" Krograll asked with a sniffle, his left eye twinkling with a single tear.

"I am. Being reunited with my creator…I must protect her"

_*Sniff!*_

"I'm really going to miss your rage…and how you helped me kill those necrobots…or those worms when Freddy got eaten…" Krograll sniffled once more as Freddy groaned.

"That insane melon tried to kill any man that approached! You included!"

"Yeah…he was great!" the man said in a loud whisper as he looked at Levy. "Make sure to feed him squash…he hate's that. And let him kill your enemies for fun! This is so difficult…banana" the man whispered…who happened to still be wearing his banana uniform.

"Stop saying that!"

"Not until Normal face continues his adventure…banana"

"You make weird friends, Levy" Kagura stated with a dead panned stare.

"Says the woman who wants to have a foursome with myself, Erza and Natsu"

"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT VOLUNTEERING ME FOR YOUR PERVERT SEX LIFE!?" she roared, some bits of gore and blood still sliding down her armor. Realistically…all of them were just red…covered with blood as not a single space was devoid of the horrible rain from before…and now it was starting to dry in their hair and against their skin.

"Don't worry. I'll retell you all my exploits with Natsu" Erza comforted, setting a gloved hand on the woman who just sighed in defeat.

"That…does not help at all…"

"You know…if we end up in twenty one-A, I'm so telling the guild that Mira is secretly in love with her Natsu! I'll make it a Nami universe!" Strauss emphasized with a grin as Erza glared at her.

"If anything…it will be my double and Natsu to confess their love first. You can go walk around naked like the harlot you are"

"What did you say ginger bitch!" Mira snapped, her glare sending daggers to Erza who glared back.

"You have shit in your ears! I said you're a whore!"

"Scarlet skank! Why don't you go stuff your face with cake you sow!" the other replied as they slammed heads together, their eyes crackling with fury as the rivalry rekindled.

"Natsu and Erza…the only acceptable outcome…"

"Mira and Natsu…demon and dragon…" both uttered as aura's of anger wafted outward from the two.

"So Krograll? What are your co-ordinates? I'd love to hang out sometime in the future" Levy asked as the two women continued to shout insults and threats toward each other.

"OH! It's universe number—"

'**Pop!'**

The four women and watermelon shifted away in an instant, the timer reaching zero as their bodies glowed a yellowish blue for a moment…then faded as the group disappeared from sight.

"Well…that was rude of them…banana"

"Can we go home now…please?"

"NO WAY! I STILL HAVE TO EAT THAT RUDOLPH! I SAID I WOULD AND I PLAN TO! I'll even share with you!...BANANA!" Krograll yelled in joy as he started to run back the way they came with his flamethrower, leaving Freddy to stand in a corpse strewn plaza with a heavy, distraught sigh.

**And there is my insane chapter with dancing animals, fire and raining blood! I hope you all enjoy the holiday bits in there as well! Speaking of…I hope everybody has a happy Christmas and New year! Enjoy time with loved ones and rest up!**

**Also…next universe will be a crossover with 03Jtunice and his DxD universe with Natsu. I'm not sure when it will be started…but probably after the new year. I just…need to take a week off from writing anything. But it will be either this or No Hope since I still need to finish that one too haha.**

**Unknown Legion…plenty of bits for your universe to watch here…(HINT HINT! KROGRALL AND FREDDY! Another Earthland! Cough cough!) Also a side note. There is a new author on the site called Ore-Summoner. This normal human is writing a one punch Saitama/Fubuki story which is very well written so far. Now it is only 7 chapters in, but I hope you check it out and give support!**

**And yes…Normal Face will be traveling with them from now on lol. But read, review, and enjoy this latest chapter from your favorite blue cat! **

"**Bitch!"**

"**RED SKANK!"**

**Kagura: Oh…please let the next universe be nice…please…**

**Levy: I hope we can find the Dead Space universe soon! With screaming baby monsters!**

**Normal Face: I am currently a hat.**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	10. DXD (Part One)

**Hello Everybody! I am back with a new chapter! But there's a surprise! This was jointly written by myself and 03Jtunice! That's right! A dual…writing mash-up! So if you see this chapter posted in his story as well *Satan Salamander*, we worked on it together! It wasn't stolen or anything like that so no hate. Still, all in all, I hope you enjoy and leave some positive words. Also…some busty babes in this story! *Ponders* Maybe I should find my own Rias for Dragneel..? I'm sure he'd show her the business…**

**Anyway! Enjoy and leave reviews! Also, poll is still up! Dead Space is in the lead for the next universe! SO VOTE DAMMIT!**

**Chapter 10: DXD (Part One)**

* * *

**Universe 7834663349-DX Hyoudou Residence Midafternoon**

The sun shone brightly over the neighborhood of family homes, a peaceful Friday afternoon with puffy white clouds drifting above. In the middle of a row of residential houses stood a particular two-story abode, the pleasantness emanating from the domicile mixing in with the area.

Issei's bedroom was silent and deserted for the moment as the young man was with Rias and her group for the day. Both parents were out as well, getting in some quality time together at the nearby shopping district. In fact, only Asia Argento was in the home, along with Happy, as she did some light chores for herself downstairs while humming a pleasant tune.

A flash of light in Issei's bedroom glowed and sparked, but was unnoticed by the inhabitants of the house as five estranged beings shifted into this new world. Blood dripped from their dirty and scarred armor, rivulets down their greaves and pants to the white carpeting as the watermelon clung to Levy's head.

"Ugh… dammit! I missed the co-ordinates!" the blunette shouted, her ire was palpable as a piece of gore slid down her scarred cheek and flopped to the floor.

"Where are we this time?" Mira asked as she stepped further into the room… and left bloody boot prints across the carpeting. Moving to the window near the bed, she leaned over to look outside as more droplets of red fell onto the sheets. A street greeted her eyes, subtle flow of civilian traffic on foot, and in vehicles going about their business. "It looks normal, but... so did the last universe…" Scowling as she tried to wipe some drying blood from her brow, her glove graced the familiar scar above her eye as she leaned away from the window and the city beyond.

"It looks like a bedroom… of a teenage boy if I had to guess?" Kagura simply stated as she eyed the poster of two busty women practically kissing. They were wearing thongs… and nothing else as their breasts hid the nipples against each other in a mash of flesh.

"Obviously a pervert," Erza simply stated as she studied the picture.

"_You're one to talk…"_

"So, Levy… where are we this time?" Mira asked her friend as she clung to her lancer. She had thought about holstering it to the magnetic plate… but who knows what kind of people this world contained. Keeping it ready, she saw the others following the same logic.

"Hmm…" Taping several keys as Normal face continued to sit on her shoulders, the scientist peered at the readout… as some blood spattered the glowing screen. "Pretty far from Earthland, I'd say. Up in the seven billion blocks. I mean, once we go past the billion marks, it pretty much becomes a crapshoot of where we end up. Earthland? Terra? Some other fucking place?"

"Well, how much time here?"

"About… ninety six hours and change. So… four days or so."

"Hopefully, we can find a place to rest and recuperate. The last two realities have been… a trial." Kagura input, the horrors still fresh in her mind.

"Then let's explore a bit. Worst case, we take this house over and use it as a base for the time being." Erza instructed as she walked toward the door. As she gripped the knob and slick blood plastered itself around it, she opened it to a deserted hallway. Clean walls of beige white loomed with shadows… but nothing sinister seemed to jump out at her.

Several more doors ran along the corridor to her left as Mira covered her back, the demon pointing the rifle toward the closed rooms as Erza stepped to the right. A small table sat at the end near a window, casting light down a concealed staircase.

Humming echoed from the stairs as soft pads of feet and flooring creaked, causing them to rush toward the corner. Kagura covered her, stacking up along the wall behind her…while leaving several streaks of drying blood along the painted walls from the press of her armor.

"Hmmm? Is somebody there?" A woman's voice called out nervously, her footsteps paused.

Swinging around the corner, Erza and Kagura moved to the source as they aimed from the top landing… at a young woman of perhaps seventeen to eighteen years old. She was shorter… maybe five feet tall with flowing blonde hair trailing down her back. Dressed in a black skirt and yellow shirt, she would be considered a little beauty as long stockings reached her calves. A pretty, innocent face that held green eyes stared wide as the weapons pointed at her, the fear growing as she took a cautionary step backward.

"_Wh… what kind of weapons are those with… chainsaws? And…who are these women? And why does one look like Rias? And… and why are they covered in blood!?"_

"I, uh… I…"

"Identify yourself! NOW!" Erza barked, the rifle pointed directly at the teenager as she dropped the load of laundry she had just done.

"Uh… AHHHHH!" Asia screamed out as she ran down the stairs, her fear making her feet light.

"Dammit! We need to capture her! She might be a devil in disguise or something else!" Erza warned as she stomped down the stairs with purpose. The heavy boots left prints among the floorboards, streaks of red mixed with blood as the soldiers followed.

"Maybe if your face wasn't so scary!"

"Shut up, Mira! Your just an imitation redhead!"

"Bitch"

"Hat mode deactivated. Pursuit mode activated." the watermelon bleakly said as he jumped from Levy's shoulders and landed on the first-floor landing.

"Don't go making up modes for yourself!" Levy chastised her creation as she rounded the corner with her L.M.G. raised. The hallway was clear, the girl disappearing into the house.

"Spread out and find her…unharmed. She looks like a normal teenager…but be cautious. Only use deadly force if she threatens your life." Kagura instructed her comrades as they nodded. Since they were all technically the same rank of Lieutenant, the command could easily shift depending on the situation.

Pressing the lancer rifle to her shoulder, Kagura moved into the kitchen with sure and steady steps. It was clean. The countertops devoid of dust or leftover food as the central island countertop held a few unopened articles from the mail. "At least it's a clean home… now… where would this girl hide?" the gravity mage whispered to herself as her magic stayed strong. "At least my magic is available. Ugh… I really hope this world isn't full of cannibals or rapists… or fucking monsters like the last one."

"Damn… she was fast." Erza told Mira as they swept the living room together. Droplets of blood still fell from their bodies, splattering against the wooden floors of the home as both aimed down the sights of their rifles.

"You probably scared the shit out of her? I mean… if I saw your blood-covered face at any time in the history of the world, that would horrify me. Like right now… so gross." Mira smirked as she checked a closet… and found nothing but typical home supplies.

"Just for that, the next Natsu I meet, I'm gonna fuck him and send you the video on what your missing."

"Don't you dare! I'm going through fire dragon withdrawal, and he's mine… before stupid ginger whores." The discord carried on, to the side of the house through an open window as Asia ducked below the sill near some shrubs. The girl had been fast… running out the back door of the kitchen to the enclosed yard grabbing a communication device Rias gave her a precaution. Clutching it in her hand, she stayed low as traffic continued to rumble by at a leisurely pace. The neighbor's dog barked, but she paid it no mind as her fearful eyes kept darting back and forth.

"They know Natsu!? But how? He's so nice and warm… these women have… big guns and look like they killed something!? And was that a talking watermelon! I have to call Rias!" Asia's panicking caused her to unknowing increase her grip around the small device, excreting strength she never knew she had. Activating the magical device given to her and all members of Rias's group, she raised it to her lips.

"Rias, help! I think a group of, uh… soldiers- they're in the house? They have guns and are after me!" She whispered harshly, the dread crawling up her spine at what they would do to her, "Please, hurry. I'm so scared! They came from nowhere!"

"Stay where you are. I'll be there in a moment!" Asia shut off the device, crouching down as the strangers continued to search… and unbeknownst to her, listen through the window above her head. Practically crawling on her knees, she disappeared from sight as Levy poked her head out of the window…but saw nothing.

"Dammit! We need to find her! The last thing we need is some… I dunno!? Zombie priest cows showing up or some shit!"

"I killed one of those with Krograll a month ago. Its screams were wonderful."

"Stop bragging, Normal Face!"

"What are they talking about?" Asia asked herself with worry… then a magic circle appeared a few feet to her right near the fencing of the yard. It glowed red, the ancient symbols spinning as Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima walked out. Fortunately, the street was deserted at that time as the spell dispersed.

"HEY! You ladies see that red light?" One of the voices asked as rapid footsteps approached the window.

"Quickly, Asia!" Rias commanded as the trio moved to the back of the house. Running around the corner, they were just missed as Mira looked out the window to the strange glow.

"Nothing here…" she asked herself as she looked at the fence. Keeping her rifle close, her eyes scanned for threats as her senses tingled, "Something happened… that wasn't some sun-glare…"

"We might have some company" Strauss informed Erza, who gave an assertive nod.

'BANG!'

The back door to the home crashed open, spurring the duo into action.

"HEY! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Kagura shouted from the kitchen as she ducked behind the island. Peeking her head over the lip of the counter as drips of blood fell from her dirty bangs, she glared at the blonde girl hiding behind a rather voluptuous redhead and equally busty female with flowing black hair. Wearing identical school uniforms, their figures would make many men drool as their sizable… assets gave a slight bounce against the straining fabric.

Raising her hand, it gave a soft glow of red as Rias's hair fluttered. Aiming as the three other women in the house took defensive positions… with a walking watermelon, the devil glared harshly at the gore covered females before her.

"I don't know who you are… or what you're doing here, but threatening a member of my Peerage and friends is unacceptable." The magic glowed, wrapping around the five in an instant as Levy started to gather her own magic.

"You bitch… I'll cut you up for threatening us…" She promised… just before disappearing from sight as the teleportation spell took them away in a flash of light.

"By the great satan… what kind of guns were those?" Akeno asked as she looked toward her friends.

"I don't know, but I made sure they were relieved of their firearms during transport. We will interrogate them… and why they threatened Asia."

"They just… came out of Issei's room. It made no sense since everybody is gone for the day. It's like they climbed in through the second story and- AHHH! My cleaning! They got blood everywhere!" The blonde wailed as she saw the filthy bootprints along the tile floor of the kitchen… and more along the walls as she wailed lightly.

"That will have to wait for now. Come, let us see what we can learn from these… women."

"Perhaps some light torture or beatings are in order?" Akeno giggled, a small hint of sadism leaking out as Rias shook her head at the queen of the Peerage.

"Let's save that as a final option, okay?" Opening another transportation circle, the three girls stepped through in a flash of red light.

**Kuoh Academy**

* * *

Rias and her two friends stepped through into the occult club headquarters, her eyes were immediately drawn to the five intruders sealed behind a bubble of forcefield magic. A relatively simple spell, she wanted to make sure they didn't escape. Stepping past the pile of weapons near the couch, she eyed the… sinister baseball bat clogged with strips of flesh among the barb wire and nails. The other guns were just as bad, the rifles had chainsaw teeth hanging onto other bits of flesh and viscera.

"Asia… please retrieve Issei and the others with. We may need their strength with these five."

"Okay, Rias… be careful." Asia prayed as she pulled open the finely decorated doors of the room and left.

Akeno walked forward to the shimmering barrier, her eyes studying the four women… and strange watermelon on two legs. Gore seemed to cover their bodies like a horrific sheen, a coating of blood that seemed to cover every exposed bit of flesh.

Two of them had visible scars marring their faces while hints of blue and white hair tried to peek from under the gore. The middle one seemed to be a natural redhead, her form leaning against a wall as she crossed her arms over her heavy armor. The final woman seemed to have black hair like herself… but was simply looking away from them all as she tried to strain blood from her bangs. It dripped… hitting the floorboards like rain as the two devils stared at their "prisoners"

"Who are you? And why did you try to kill Asia?" Rias asked with a cold voice, her anger palpable to the threat this group posed to her precious friend.

Silence. None of them spoke as the shortest sat on a chair and yawned. Scratching the area of her cheek near a four-inch scar, she leaned back while crossing her legs.

"Answer the question!" Akeno demanded in a low tone, her anger growing at their disrespect toward Rias.

"Why the fuck should we?" the short one replied as she leaned her head back against the comfortable chair.

"If you don't… I'll put you through a world of pain." Akeno promised, her sadistic side coming out to play as she stared at each in turn.

"Pffft! HAHAHAHA! Hey Erza, this bitch thinks she's actually scary! But damn… it's like being threatened by a high school girl!" Mira said with a laugh and pointed thumb, her eyes showing mirth.

"WATCH YOUR TONE OR I'LL MAKE YOU SUFFER A THOUSAND TIMES OVER!" Akeno shouted at the… white-haired woman who suddenly glared her way. Marching over in the bubble prison, Mira glared daggers at the busty, black-haired woman.

"Erza? Isn't that Natsu's friend from his own world?" Rias contemplated softly as the prisoner jabbed a finger at the barrier, making it ripple from the light blow.

"You think I'm scared of some fucking school student? After I've almost been gang-raped? Or fought undead monsters? Or been under machine-gun fire as people died around me? I've killed people for being a threat… I've seen true… fucking evil. And you? You're like a child on their first day of school. Try again when you've killed a whole army of rapist men" Turning, Mira walked toward a couch and laid down in the filth of blood.

"Why you…" Akeno promised as she clenched her fist… and shook with anger.

"You're… Mirajane Strauss? I've… heard about you. And you're…Erza Scarlet, correct?" Rias asked slowly, the dots finally connecting from Natsu's many tales of the two women. "This isn't right, though… Natsu said they were very nice… while a little scary. If Mira is to be held accountable, then have they seen far worse? I need to gain their trust to answer my questions"

"Now, how the fuck do you know that?" Levy asked the redhead… just as the door opened and several people poured into the room.

Most of them were women, females with curvaceous figures and sizable busts restrained by their uniforms as they quickly moved into the room. With them were three men and one familiar blue cat. One was a high school boy with brown hair and in the same kind of uniform as the girls, just it was for males instead. The other was blonde and wore the same outfit as the one prior but seemingly held a more confident stature.

But the other… that's what made Levy and the others stand up to notice.

A familiar mess of salmon hair… the scale pattern scarf as a blue cat sat on his shoulder. The black vest with red flames and the wide shoulders… it could be only one man.

"Hey Rias! What the hell is happening!? I was about to go out with Happy to see Zechs, but Asia came crying saying you guys needed my help?" Natsu exclaimed in a hot headed fashion as he clenched his fist in his warm determination.

"Holy shit… Natsu! How the hell did you get here!?" Mira cried with a warmth to her voice as she jumped off the couch. Igniting her magic, a small ball of crackling energy flew toward the prison barrier. Breaking against the field, it shattered like glass as the spell quickly broke.

Rias gasped in awe at what she saw, the solid light shattering and fading on the wooden floor, "How did you...!" She whispered to herself knowing she wasn't going to get an answer and settled with glaring at the women… more directly toward Mira who simply ignored her.

"HELL YEAH! WAY BETTER THAN THE LAST UNIVERSE!" Levy shouted with a grin as she ran forward with Mira… and tackled Natsu to the floor. He landed hard, flinging Happy to the side as the air left his lungs from the heavy tackle.

"AHHH! I don't care if he's not ours! You're getting some love!" Mira exclaimed happily as she kissed the man on the lips… which was quickly followed by Levy as the two left smudges of blood on his cheeks and chest.

"What the hell man! Strange women just… tackle you and start kissing you! Stupid fire bastard!" Issei uttered with newfound resentment as Mira and Levy kept giving the fire mage bloody kisses.

"Mpfh! Mfphh!" Gasping for air, he finally opened his eyes as his cheeks burned red from the attention. By the grace of Igneel, Natsu found the strength to push the two women off his torso as they fell, sitting starry-eyed, on his legs.

Sitting up as quickly as possible, Natsu scanned his surroundings and took in a big whiff of the air, "Mira? Levy?" Looking past them… he saw Erza approaching in heavy and blood stained armor as Kagura did the same… with some walking watermelon? Restudying Mira and Levy who still pinned him down, his eyes grew wider as he analyzed their features.

"WHAT! WHO HURT YOU GIRLS! YOUR FACES HAVE SCARS! AND WHY ARE YOU COVERED IN BLOOD!?"

"AAAAHHHH! MIRA! IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU! NATSU DOESN'T GIVE ME ENOUGH FISH!" Happy wailed as he burst into tears and wrapped his little arms around the woman's neck.

Giggling softly, Strauss stood up as she hugged the cat with equal love and affection… despite her state of appearance.

"Natsu… do you know… these women?" Rias asked with an even glare. A hint of malice was in her tone. Not because of their escape… no, she got over that the second these highly questionable females dared to kiss him… right in front of her!

"Mira. Levy. You know he's not ours, right?" Erza asked as she tried… with all her might to not jump him herself. She had needs… and he could provide relief.

"Levy… I dunno why you just kissed me? I mean… you like Gajeel, right? Did… he give you that scar on your face? And where is everybody else? Like gramps and Lucy? Or Lisanna and Cana? Or Gildarts?" The fire mage asked as he pushed her off and stood up. Some streaks of blood had stained his shirt, but he didn't care- some of his friends were here!

And that's when it hit, "Hold up- how did you get here in the first place?"

Massaging her temples, Levy groaned as she felt something… and pulled a string piece of flesh from her blood-soaked locks. Flinging it to the floor, she tried to form words.

"This would be a lot easier if we didn't look like psychopaths…"

"Agreed. We should clean up first. I can feel it starting to dry," Erza stated calmly as she turned toward the redhead that was now standing close to Natsu. Narrowing her eyes, she studied the busty female… then turned to Natsu.

"Natsu? Who… is this… girl?"

"I'm Rias Gremory of the Gremory house and you attacked one of my Peerage members… girl." A bolt of lightning seemed to pass between the two, a universal confrontation as Erza and Rias both pointed at Natsu then each other.

"NATSU! I FORBID YOU FROM TALKING WITH THAT… HARLOT!"

Their words were completely in tune as both glared daggers at the other.

"I can't believe you just said that to me!?"

"YOU DID IT AGAIN! I'LL SHOW YOU!" Both shouted as they got close and butted heads. Eyes popped with feminine fury as they grit their teeth and snarled. This has been one of the very few occasions where Akeno has seen Rias, to put it bluntly, 'lose her shit'.

"It's like two Erza's…" Kagura simply stated as the two continued to bicker about… nonsense to be honest. The insults weren't even making sense anymore.

"MY HAIR IS WAY REDDER! THAT MEANS NATSU IS MINE!" Erza shouted in the imposter's face as Rias stared back with narrow eyes.

"You can't have him! He's part of my Peerage and a treasured friend! Besides! My breasts are fantastic! He'll love them someday!"

"Uh… shouldn't you be telling me how you got here, Erza?" Natsu subtly asked… from behind a chair with a large helping of fear. Unfortunately, he was experiencing some vivid Edolas flashbacks.

"Stay out of this Natsu… I'll deal with her." The knight simply grinned as Rias grinned back. The crackling auras seemed to grow from both their bodies as their hair started to fly…. until Akeno and Kagura punched them both on the top of their heads.

"CALM DOWN!" Both shouted at their respective friends. Crashing to the floor, they were down for the moment as they groaned from the surprise punch. Looking at each other, Kagura rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly as more blood and gore dried.

"We can explain everything… just let us shower and change first. That last universe literally rained blood from the sky…"

"You don't seem to have a very well-versed sense of comedy."

"No, I'm not joking… it was a forest of flesh-eating monsters that wanted to skin us alive… and rape our eye sockets. And the trees ate the dead too… and the unicorns…" Kagura shivered, the memories still very fresh while Akeno nodded.

"Very well… there are some showers and bathrooms in the back down that hall. Don't take too long." The queen warned as Kagura started to drag Erza by the shoulders.

"Cool! A hot shower! Hey Natsu, wanna join me? We can have… some fun." Levy asked the man, her lips licking in a sultry manner as the mentioned male looked away bashfully.

"Uhhh… that's… uhh… I was told I can only take baths with Erza!" He screamed on impulse.

"Hmm, and that proves it. All Erza's train their Natsu's." She said boastfully winking towards the pink-haired teen.

"I'll join you!" Issei said gleefully, his eyes tracing the women's curves.

"Ew. No. I don't fuck weaklings. Normal face? Protect the showers from this pervert. Only Natsu or Happy are permitted." Levy commanded as she walked down the short hallway with Mira. Issei dropped with depression, the shoot down crumpling his self-esteem as Natsu lightly smirked at his suffering.

"Yes, Miss Levy!" The watermelon shouted as it ran to the hallway entrance and stood there with his arms spread wide.

"Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep." Tracing his body and head back and forth, the murderous creature locked eyes with the pervert as he continued to make random sounds.

"You're just saying Beep! You're not even doing anything!" Happy pointed at the watermelon… who continued to beep.

"This is really weird…" Natsu told the multiple women in the room as he watched the watermelon guard the hallway. Sounds of showering were already being heard by his heightened senses… along with sounds of womanly glee and pleasure. While he was sure they weren't doing anything… perverted, he had to question that. After all…Erza was with them.

"Well… there is a talking watermelon in the room…" Asia stated as she looked at the creature. Feeling a sense of kindness wash over her, she approached as Natsu spoke once more.

"No… it's not that. It's the demeanor of those four? They… they don't act like the Mira or Erza from home. And Levy would never kiss me… and she would be freaking out with all that blood on her? But it was Kagura talking about a… blood universe? This is really confusing?"

"I suppose we have to wait until they come out… Ara, ara! They were our prisoners and we just went with it." Akeno shouted as she shook her head in disbelief.

"It was amazing that Mira just broke the barrier like it was paper. It stands to reason they were just playing along to learn from us while we tried to do the same. Still, she must have a large reserve of magic to do that with hardly any effort."

"Beep. Beep. That is correct. Mirajane is one of the strongest female mages on the continent. She is only one of a handful of mages capable of defeating Miss Levy in deadly combat."

"Hey, watermelon? Levy was never able to match Mira in a fight! She likes books and… learning stuff!" Natsu shot at the creature as it looked his way… with its arms still spread out in a protective manner.

"Incorrect. Levy McGarden is one of the most dangerous battle mages of any surviving guild. Her intellect along with bloodthirst makes her a fearsome foe on the battlefield. Dark mages gave her the name 'Bloody Lev'… until she killed them all"

"WHAT!? LEVY WOULD NEVER HURT ANYBODY! SHE'S TOO NICE!" Happy pointed to the fruit as it started doing random poses. Reaching upward, it pressed its fingers together in a strange 'A' shape as it looked at the cat.

"Captain Ginyu!"

"Normal face… they won't get what you're doing" Levy instructed as she walked out in clean cargo pants, socks, and a yellow shirt that said 'Scary Terry, Bitch' in big, blue letters. Mira was behind her in black, tight pants that accentuated her hips as they swayed. Water dripped down from her bangs, flowing past the scar as she wore her favorite shirt… 'Property of Natsu' in sparkling, purple letters.

"I still don't know why you have to wear that, Mira?" Kagura asked her friend as she wore simple pants and a tan shirt. Erza's attire was the soldier standard… a tank top that hugged her breasts and black combat pants.

"Mira… what are you wearing?" Natsu asked wearily, his eyes sensing a trap of some kind. Grinning, the white-haired mage sat on a clean chair.

"Well, because you're my boyfriend! So, of course, you dominate me in the bedroom… with lots of sex!"

"NATSU! WHEN DID YOU MAKE BABIES WITH MIRA!" Happy shouted, his little mind coming to the wrong conclusion as Mira kept smiling at the man like a lioness eyeing a gazelle.

"It's not like that you furball!" Natsu roared, his face heated as he looked away from Mira in her old, demonic outfit.

"Hey… I get him first" Erza butted in, her eyes studying the male just a dozen feet away.

"Natsu. You will do no such thing. As for you four, explain yourselves before my patience wears thin." Rias commanded with a firm statement. Crossing her arms beneath her bust, she glared at the four in turn.

"Okay… so Natsu, we aren't the friends you know from your world. You're not our Natsu, and I'm not your Erza."

"But… didn't you come to take me home?"

"No. We're actually stranded in the multiverse. We shift from world to world with no destination… no idea where we end up. That's why we were chasing the blonde girl. We had to make sure she wasn't a threat… because trust me, there are some really… really fucking scary things out there… things you will never unsee." The soldier stated, her eyes becoming distant for several seconds.

"How did that happen?" Akeno asked Erza. Rubbing her tired eyes, Scarlet ran an exhausted hand through her crimson locks. Sitting down on a nearby chair, her buttocks sank into the cushion before she looked back at Akeno.

"It's a very long story… and all of it is true. Some of the things I've done… made me a monster that slays evil without mercy… but innocents have perished as well. Far too many…" Taking a deep breath, Erza sat up straight. "It all started when myself, Mira, Happy and Natsu took an S-class job when we were fourteen…"

The audience listened for hours as the sun slowly set outside in the world beyond. Their faces and demeanors going from confused and annoyed to shame… horror… disbelief… heartbreak as the four weaved a tale of hardship and blood, war and genocide, that was frankly unfathomable in their minds. Worlds burned under orbital fire… slavery and rape, cannibalism and suffering that was unseen in their lives. Battles and wars that would see thousands die in single days and monsters that the mind refused to believe… they heard it all.

"Levy… you… you had to fire on your own planet? Just for the chance to stop these locust? And Laki… Jet and Droy… Alzack…" Natsu asked softly, his face a flow of tears.

"Are fucking dead. They didn't survive the battles with the horde, but we have. Among us four, Erza has faced the locust the most. They are evil incarnate, Natsu. Do you think Acnologia is bad? Or some shitty dark mage trying to rape or cast some little bitch spell? I helped kill Acnologia with nuclear fire… because he was an annoyance. The Levy I used to be? She's dead. I strive for strength. I'll kill all my fucking enemies. I drink and spew madness! FUCK! I NEED TO DRINK! RETELLING ALL THIS SHIT PISSES ME OFF!" Levy screamed as she punched the wall, her ire growing as Mira looked at the said man.

The woman punched the wall again, cracking some plaster as her large breasts bounced against her shirt. Luckily, the damage could be quickly fixed, "Levy estimates there may be only twelve million left on our Earthland… and we have no way home just like you. The only silver lining is the four of us are together and that our other allies in the multiverse will probably have noticed now"

"And then there was an accident when you tried to go with your own Natsu to… Sera to fight the lambent?" Rias asked the women before her as her skin crawled from the horrid tale.

"Yup. And those things are even worse than the locust"

"H…how? I mean… these monsters kill pregnant women… butcher whole cities?" One of the women of the Peerage asked with a sniffle. Just because she was a devil doesn't mean she wasn't cold to suffering on a global scale.

"The lambent are parasites. If any of you got infected with it, you would mutate into one of them and try to kill anybody around you to spread it. Whatever made you a person dies… and you join their ranks as a mindless husk that was once a human"

"Trust me… I've seen a Corpser go full lambent. Sam and Dragneel collapsed a whole mountain to kill it. By the COG, I'm tired…" The redhead lamented as she yawned. "And here we are sharing fucking stories like a bunch of bitches" Erza said as she lifted herself from the chair, "Believe us or not, but in about four days, we will shift away and end up who knows where in the multiverse. Until then, I plan to relax and not have to worry about walking corpses… and rapists or skinless rabbits firing laser eyes at me"

"I'm using your couch. Natsu, you can tell us how you got here if you want, but I'm sleeping." Kagura informed the room of women as she took a couch and splayed across it. Closing her eyes, sleep quickly took her as Mira did the same nearby.

"We… will be less of a pain tomorrow. The past twenty-four hours have been… bloody and stressful. And for what it's worth Asia, sorry for… you know… the threats" Curling up on a couch, Mira was fast asleep in moments as Akeno and Rias looked at the four slowly falling asleep around the common room.

"Uhh… well… I guess they can sleep here until they leave in a few days…" Rias whispered in distress.

"Subterranean monsters? A world of sex slavery and rape? Genocide and ten-mile long worms? How are they even sane? And their Natsu… sounds like quite the king. I would hate to see that one angry" Taking a side glance to the man she had learned to trust, Rias saw the distress across his face as Happy sniffled with large beads of tears.

"_Would you go to those lengths to protect? To make the horrible choices that affect worlds? Could you reach that level of strength… for me?"_

"Man Natsu… I'm so sorry to hear that, but… how the hell did your double get eleven girlfriends?" Issei sneaked the inappropriate remark without remorse. Yes, he knew it was bad timing, and he could obviously have worked on the delivery, but maybe, just maybe this could lighten the heavy room. If not, then he was dead- plain and simple.

"That's what you're worried about!? They lost friends and family, Issei! You think I care about how that other Natsu is dating Bisca and Juvia!? He's buried family and your thinking like a dumb ass!? This other Earthland didn't deserve to be invaded by monsters that kill children, you idiot!" The fire mage roared with dripping anger. The gall of Issei to complain about a harem after that made him almost see red.

"Okay, okay I get it. I didn't mean for it to come out like that, I just wanted to… I don't know, make you feel less bad?" Issei trembled and tread with caution after Natsu's outburst. In the end, as he predicted, he was dead. Now, there's no way for him to know if he completely ruined their relationship but he could take a hint.

"Silence! Miss Levy is sleeping!" Normal face shouted from the foot of the chair the scientist was sleeping on. She stirred, somehow not waking from her slumber as she mumbled.

"Note to self…build a Natsu harem here…and find a different Rias for Dragneel…to fuck…" Turning over, her chest rose and fell as Erza mumbled in her sleep nearby.

"Shower…with Natsu…breast massage…"

After listening in on their dismantled thoughts, Natsu sighed and closed his eyes, collecting his own scrambled thoughts and turned to Issei with wide eyes, "You know, I shouldn't have done that. Honestly, I would have cracked my hand against your skull if that watermelon didn't tell us to shut it. I guess if I wasn't already filled with such… potent emotions I would've seen your intentions better. Issei, I'm-"

"Nope, no no no, I'm gonna say it first. I'm sorry, Natsu for being a dumbass." Issei promptly cut him off and stretched out his hand toward Natsu with a stupid grin on his face. Natsu did the same and the two shook hands until Natsu decided to move on the topic of this other Dragneel.

"Actually, I still can't believe that Levy and this other Natsu from… uh… one thirty-seven C do all that… sex stuff… with ten other women? The monsters would be safer than dealing with them mad." Natsu shivered, just imagining Erza and Mira tugging war over him as they went back to a heated rivalry, "Oh crap! If I get home, will my Mira and Erza do the same!? I'll DIE!"

"Let's just pick this up tomorrow. Perhaps I can call my brother. He might be able to help with… this quantum absorption these four endured from that dimensional accident." Turning toward the doors, Rias, Akeno, Asia and all the others started to filter out and left the war-torn travelers alone for the night…

**Hyoudou Residence 2:19 a.m.**

Natsu stared at the ceiling above him as the moonlight shone through the open window of the second floor. Listening to the soft breeze waft through the opening on his left, the slayer looked at Happy sleeping in his own little bed near the desk. The cat was sound asleep, snoring lightly with dreams of fish and… more fish in his mind's eye.

"Damn… that was a really awful story… they… don't deserve that kind of life. Erza and Mira… and Levy should be with the ones they love and their friends, not doing that… quanto stuff. They might never get home like me"

Clenching his fist, the Dragonslayer made a promise to help them during their stay, despite how brief it was. But then another horrifying thought entered his mind. "Ah! I hope they don't try all that kissy stuff again! Rias looked really mad! But then… Erza and Mira are almost like her and Akeno! It's like having twins of both! …Maybe I should hide out with Zechs? Yeah, I'd be safe there…"

Closing his eyes, the man finally fell asleep minutes later, unaware of the trouble in store for his morning.

Levy woke with a start and gasp, her mind filled with oceans of blood, screaming and fire. Sadly, it was typical now as she rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock on the nearby wall. It was almost three, but the nightmares… were pretty bad this time. Sighing, she rose from the piece of furniture as Normal Face stood sentinel by the door.

"Miss Levy. I'm standing guard against the pervert"

"Eh… I'm not too worried about him," Adjusting her breasts in her bra, she studied them for a moment before looking back at her sleeping friends, "They're in slumber… that's good for me."

"N.F? Was that Natsu interested in my body? Because I could really… really go for some dragon meat right now." She asked the creature as she thought of doing… very sexual things with the fire mage.

"He was Miss Levy. I'm positive about his desires. However, I am unsure about his willingness to take action." The watermelon was, in fact, very accurate on this matter.

"Can you help me find him? I obviously need to teach him sex first before the others if he's to get a harem. Plus, he was practically begging me to fuck him during storytime" McGarden smiled as she imagined him worshipping her female body and curves while Erza and the others looked on from behind the couch with fear…. and some sort of pink elephant shooting cherry wine from its trunk. Gumballs floated with neon words in mid-air, their circular forms transforming into squares as the moon sang outside. This was very, very wrong from what actually happened.

"Yeah. These bimbos don't even know how to seduce a man" Giving a light cackle at her madness, Levy slipped on some shoes and moved toward the door with the watermelon in tow.

Erza and Mira woke just as the door clicked shut, their eyes narrowing at the deceit their friend was planning. They had heard the whole thing, waking moments after Levy from the sense of movement in the finely decorated room of the club building.

"Mira… we can't let her win. If anything, the two of us should be the ones getting sex from this Natsu"

"We'll decide who goes first later" Strauss agreed as they both found some shoes and left Kagura sleeping alone by herself.

Levy and Normal-face weaved along the deserted streets, slinking along in silence as the woman promised to make the male hers. "It's not even cheating since it's technically Natsu. And dammit! I really… really need to get laid! It's been almost a year! I have needs dammit! But only Natsu… There is no way I'll ever screw Gajeel or… ugh… Romeo… I'd rather kill myself." A sigh left her lips, soft in the cool air as her companion sensed distress. Walking onto Issei's street, the two moved between streetlights.

"Is something wrong Miss Levy?"

"No… just thinking how great it would be if every universe had no Romeo Conbolt. That monster has raped too many women in too many universes to be trusted"

"I will assist your goal, creator!"

"Shh! We're here" Levy scolded as she eyed an open window on the second floor.

"He is there." the watermelon pointed as the woman eyed a pathway to climb from the garage to the dragon lair.

"Good. Guard the exterior home until morning."

"Rage melon!" Running off, it chased some squirrels that had infiltrated the yard as Levy started to climb onto the garage… unaware of her two pursuers who were eyeing with scrutiny.

Climbing into the open window a minute later, Levy smirked at the sleeping man splayed out on his bed. Snoring lightly, the woman licked her lips at his washboard abs. Sure… he didn't have the patchwork of battle scars, but… she eyed the bulge in his pants.

"That looks tasty… but he's sleeping… I know. I'll surprise him with morning sex!" Snapping her fingers, Levy quickly stripped down to some cute, blue panties and a sports bra that restrained the C-cups from flying free. Easing herself onto the bed, she crawled like a cat before nuzzling into the man's left flank near the wall.

"Yeah! I'll make sure… he's… taken… care… of." Levy fell back asleep, the natural warmth of Natsu easing her tormented mind and soul as his heartbeat thudded and warmed her own. Smiling in slumber, she didn't sense Mira and Erza climbing into the window as well.

"_THAT LITTLE BITCH! She thinks she can muscle in on my territory!"_ The two rivals thought as the duo started leaving a pile of clothes on the floor. Pulling her favorite shirt over her head, Mira's large breasts shifted against the white bra as the moonlight hit them just right. The same could be seen of Erza's own globes, the flesh pulling in the glow of night as both approached the bed.

Erza curled up next to his chest on the right, resting her head on his shoulder as Mira draped herself over his stomach and abdominals. Both sighed… feeling the cold fear of nightmares and horrific enemies melt away in Natsu's presence as they both vowed to have sex with him in the morning with small, relaxed smiles on their beautiful faces.

**That morning: 9:43 a.m.**

* * *

"What the hell is taking that Pyro so long to wake up? I thought he would be doing his morning training or something?" Issei asked Rias and Akeno who stood outside Natsu's bedroom door.

"I'm sure he was just overwhelmed from yesterday. After all, it's not every day you meet some soldier versions of your childhood friends that fight subterranean monsters and other evils." Akeno thoroughly reminded him, reassuring the young man as Rias gave a light 'humph'.

"I don't like that Erza woman. She's a bad influence on Natsu. He needs a good girlfriend… not that… hussy with red hair."

"You basically described yourself…" Issei made sure to say that at the lowest possible volume. Not again will he face the wrath of one of his comrades.

"No matter. He needs to start the day." Rias told her two friends as she opened the door and stepped in with Akeno… and stared in disbelief.

Natsu was spread out on the bed…. and tangled among the lithe and shapely bodies of Mira, Erza, and Levy as they slept soundly. Their legs were against his own… and their breasts pressing against his hard muscles. It was even worse since they were all in very… very enticing lingerie that showed far too much skin.

"Of course, Natsu… I'll lick it off..." Erza whispered warmly. Her dreams were lustful… full of heavy sex as her legs squirmed and pressed together near her dampening core.

"Oh Natsu… you got it all over my face…" Mira said in a sleepy tone as she dreamed of equally dirty things.

"Mmmm… harder…" Levy mumbled as she pressed harder against the still slumbering man.

Rias and Akeno's eyes twitched. A nightmare of crackling, female fury rising from them both as Issei quickly ran from the room for his life. 'If you have a guardian angel, he sure as hell hates you Natsu!'

"NATSU!" Both screamed out as their anger rose even higher and higher from the slumber of bodies before them…

The ringing that followed in his sensitive ears promptly caused him to jolt from his heavy slumber, but the oddly shifting weights around his body slightly hindered his movements. Already familiar with a sensation, Natsu braced himself as he stared down upon the lightly dressed women sleeping and tugging along the area below his chest. Their warmth was very inviting but their erotic positions gave off a very mature-rated warning, couple that with the death glares of both Rias and Akeno.

Wait a second.

'Oh no, this is not go-' "Natsu! How could you! I know they're your friends and that you've missed them but this is excessive! Did you get tempted by that scarlet witch!" Rias yelled in an accusatory tone, muttering, "I bet you did," under her breath. Now, Natsu has been in many situations like this in the past, probably too many to count, and in each one no matter what he tried, there was no way out. Pleading that he wasn't guilty just never makes the cut. However, the most uncanny timing of cognitive arousal awoke one of the death angels from their sleep.

Unfortunately for all of them, it just so happened to be Erza who woke up, rising to the sound of Rias calling her a Scarlet witch. Name-calling was not one of the things she enjoyed most about living, but one she's become most accustomed to receiving and delivering.

"You wanna repeat that again, pompous slut." Erza never liked getting up early, and considering her past few days, sleeping in until 5 pm felt like a great idea, but now she had to wake up at such an early hour, and in such a bad mood too, caused her limits to reach maximum bitchiness. If that's what you could call it.

"Hmph, I'm certain I never stutter, but if you need me to speak louder for that thick skull of yours, gladly," Rias's voice held such strong malice that Natsu could have mistaken the direction of her insults for Azazel! Like a wise man, he would love to bolt out of this room to go for a long morning run, but the weight of both the Fairy Tail women and the surrounding atmosphere prevented him from doing so. Obviously, something big was going to go down, but not one cell in his body wanted to be there for the showdown- behind a steel door with a video camera, maybe.

"Oh ho, you really want to play it like that, huh?" Erza crept from her spot in the bed and trampled over her comrades causing them to wake up in the same terrible mood. She ignored their weak cries of pain and headed to face the other red-head toe to toe. She stood tall with her muscular body, wearing her ragged skin-tight t-shirt and pinching booty shorts against Rias' more defined outfit with long black jeans, topped with a frilly light green shirt and purple heels.

"Hey, guys, this is so unnecessary. Later on, you're both gonna be best friends and laughing talking about how silly this fight was- I mean, come on! This is funny right?" Natsu did his best to deescalate the situation but it seemed the hot-headed red-heads weren't going to take any of it.

"Shut it Natsu, this doesn't concern you," They said plainly, "This… ginger, thinks she can outdo _me_?" They stopped and gasped at each other, "You did it again. Stop copying me!"

"This is gonna go nowhere. Same with me apparently." Natsu said this as he had Mira gripping his arms and Levy straddling his legs. Before, they woke up due to Erza's violet moving, but now it seems they wanted to go back to sleep, however, this time he was truly going to be a body pillow.

"Ah, just ignore her, Natsu, Erza'll get over herself," Mira said with a satisfied sigh, "If not, I guess the house will be destroyed then. Oh well." Still egging on with the completely relaxed facial expression, Mira laid her head down on Natsu's broad shoulders, _'I'm glad the Natsu's stay like Natsu_.'

"Yeah, that crazy woman really has a temper. But I guess I shouldn't be saying anything," Levy giggled against Natsu's chest, rubbing her nose down the middle, "Man, I really needed to smell you again."

"And, that's it for me. Can't do this anymore!" Natsu heavily pushed Levy off of him and then Mira, gasping and sweating from the intimate contact.

"Hmm, your little buddy begs to differ..." Levy hummed with her eyes leading down south to the bulge in his shorts.

"OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Natsu jumped off the bed and landed with a huge thud on the floor. He tucked and rolling off as he quickly stood up and stared at the situation from the corner of the room. Erza and Rias stopped their bickering and Levy and Mira stared at him with slight disappointment. Thinking this is a perfect time, Natsu decided to speak, "Listen, I'm just gonna say it- this is hella weird. Like, I thought Gray was the epitome of weirdness and Issei comes to a very close second, but this is some crazy bullshit."

"Ha, welcome to our world, 24/7." Mira scoffed slightly.

"Just hear me out. I know that you guys have been through a lot, way more than I could ever understand and or go through myself, but I want you guys to know that I'm still part of Fairy Tail and I'll do anything for my family. But the relationship you guys have with the other me, well… it's just not me. It doesn't feel right to have you guys when it's a situation like this. It's not normal- or morally okay with me! And Rias, I know what you must think of them, but you shouldn't try to assert yourself predominately in every situation. This one wasn't one of them. And Erza, you think that I shouldn't have to live with such a bossy girl either and that I deserve better, but- I hate to say it- you're the same way. Plus, the Princess cared for me in ways I could never repay her and her family for. Ya get it?"

Silence and blank stares, that's what he got for more than half a minute. Everyone turned their eyes down as if trying to process what he just said but the outcome wasn't what he hoped.

"You call her Princess?"

"This is definitely not normal."

"You think I'm bossy!"

"You're saying that you _would_ have sex with us, but at a different time, right?"

"I am not the same as her!"

"What! Seriously!? That's what you got from my little speech!? And after all the thought I put in it! I've been planning to say this since last night." Natsu sorrowed after hearing the jumbled replies from his friends, a whiny tone accompanying his words. The girls in the room all laughed after hearing Natsu sulk in the corner, watching his pouting face with a sense of glee, "What's so funny, huh?"

"No, no, it's okay Natsu, we get it. I completely understand what you want me to do." Rias replied first, resting a small smile on her lips.

"Yeah, we get what you want" Erza answered as well.

"Absolutely." Mira agreed.

"Pretty much just said no sex, after that, I kinda zoned out."

"Levy! Respect Natsu's feelings!" Erza reprimanded. She glared harshly at Levy for disregarding his heartfelt speech and didn't stop until the blue-haired maniac finally succumbed to her intensity.

"Alright, alright!" She turned back to Natsu, "I'm sorry for that, I guess. I get where you're coming from. But don't take that seriously, I only said it cause this bitch made me."

"Levy!"

"Okay, fine!" She conceded bitterly.

Meanwhile, during the ruckus upstairs, Issei and Asia sat back on the couch listening to the rambling of Rias and the other women with Akeno seldom taking part. Although it appeared that relations between the two groups were mediated to a tolerable point, the atmosphere was still too tense for the two devils to go upstairs; neither one of them wanted to be berated by those vicious women. The morning was still early and the sun barely rose to its peak, so the group had time to spare- doing whatever it is Rias had planned for today. For that reason, Issei and Asia would let the bickering continue.

Finally, after an hour of hustling and fighting, Natsu and his otherworldly friends got ready to head out into the _normal_ world. Before that, however, Akeno pointed out that they still needed more clothes if they wanted to leave the house, realizing they had only given them bed sheets at the clubhouse. But Erza, being the overly prepared and overbearing leader she was, lessened their worries by requiping outfits for all her comrades from the wrist mounted device on her left arm. Their clothes were simple- and less revealing- only being a plain t-shirt with solid colors and jean shorts not really meant for fighting. Obviously, this soldier thought ahead, but for reasons unknown.

Now, the Saturday morning could begin, allowing Rias to follow through with her plans. She called together the devils of her peerage that lived in the Hyoudou residence and had the Fairy Tail group tail behind her. Reluctantly, though, Erza reeled in her pride and accepted the help of that vile wretch with eerily the same hair color as hers. But no! She will accept her help but not this reality! Their hair colors were not the same! Far from it! If you paid close attention to each strand in high resolution, it can easily be deduced that, although they were both a relative to red, Erza's was Scarlet- as per her namesake- and Rias' was crimson!

'_No doubt in my mind..._' She told herself. The group took their time walking toward the school grounds on the weekend, with Mirajane asking if that was permissible. Natsu answered with a goofy grin and replied, "Does it matter? We do it all the time!" Rias ejected, correcting his reckless answer and truthfully spoke that their club had special treatment due to her and Akeno's rank in the school system.

"Wow, our ginger was right to call you a pompous bitch." Levy snickered with a high degree of mirth. It was obvious that she was still resentful about the incident in the room. Luckily, being taught to control her emotions at a young age, Rias was able to restrain herself along with some aid from Akeno's reassuring grip on her shoulder. For some reason she couldn't point out, Natsu and his friends had an uncanny ability to pluck at her deepest nerves. And even worse, they were currently meeting someone who did that the best… seeing as _he _is the best course of action in their predicament.

Happy was perched on Natsu's head and noticed Rias' discomfort while he walked next to her and decided against pointing out her current attitude. He deemed it best to not talk, knowing his big mouth could cause trouble. Unlike Natsu, he at least had some self-awareness.

NF, who was resting on Levy's shoulders like a small child's backpack, made the conclusion that the Devils of this world held a significant influence on its people and their prospects, and whispered this information into Levy's ears. Quickly, her face turned stern as a rock but just as fast turned back to normal. She knew for the most part that the people Natsu hung out with were pretty strong, but none of these bitch-ass teens could hold a candle to her team when they decided to work together. But what worried her was the other thing Normal face told her: apparently, during the whole time being here, he's been scanning this universe's quantum infrastructure and found that multiple other realms were coexisting at the same place and time, overlapping each other like a gyroscope.

This meant that somehow, there is a force strong enough to glue together completely different dimensions so close that it could be broken with a little magic and manipulation. She had to know how this was possible- her curiosity has never gotten herself killed, only the others who got in her way. Somehow, Levy needed to study this phenomenon as it could help her with finding out the bullshit that's been going on with her and her friends!

_SNAP!_

"Huh?" Levy looked around and scouted her field of vision until she saw another blue-haired girl with her hand in front of her face. She had a confused look on her face as if she was trying her hardest to probe her mind. '_Heh, good luck with that._'

"Hey, you alive in there?" She asked rhetorically. And that's when it hit her. If Levy recalled, this was the girl who slept through everything this morning like a damn log! If she could remember correctly, her name was Zon… Xan.. Sin..

"Yeah, I'm fine. Get your hand outta my face Xenovia!" At that moment, the group staggered to a stop and looked behind to watch Levy swat Xenovia's hand away. It was understandable why she did it, but her usual spunk seemed to be missing, although, this fact was only caught by her comrades.

"Uh, maybe you should have gotten a couple more minutes of sleep Levy," Natsu suggested, "You look zoned out."

"Shut it Natsu! I'm only pissed off cause you refused to have sex with me!" She hollered back, trying to disguise her previous blunder.

"Oh… really!? You denied her carnal pleasures, Natsu!?" Issei whipped toward his pink hair roommate. Natsu simply gave him an irritated glare and that quickly tamed his lust, "Yeah, I totally get why you refused her. Hehe, only makes sense _not_ to have sex with a smoking hot girl."

"Oh, Issei-kun..." Asia sighed with disapproval.

"Wait, isn't Kagura still in the room you guys slept in?" Happy pointed out, realizing now was a great time to speak his mind. Really, he only noticed their missing member this instant, but he would never tell anyone he was in the same boat as them. He was Happy after all, "You three girls left her at the clubhouse!"

"Ara, Ara."

Once they stopped to eat at a family-owned breakfast diner and almost eating out the entire food supply, Natsu, Erza, Rias, Akeno, Mira, Levy, Issei, Asia, Xenovia, Happy, and the talking watermelon, Normal Face, eventually got to their desired destination with as few distractions as possible, which was surprising to all of them considering how they consistently treated each other the past dozen of hours. The urgency to get to Kagura quickly faded as soon as it came once Natsu's stomach growled, followed by Erza, Mira, and Levy. They denounced any concern for their fellow soldier making excuses such as, "She's fine by herself. She never wanted to come along anyway," or "Now she can ponder on whether or not she should join our Natsu's Harem." The last one was made by Erza, but who's asking?

Rias opened and locked the gates, back to their former position once everyone had gotten through and headed for the empty clubhouse located at the back of school grounds. The walk there was the most peaceful 3 minutes the group has ever experience since their meeting together, but the Fairy Tail troops were nonetheless on high alert. During their time at the diner, Levy covertly signaled to MJ and Erza to be cautious from that point on, and so, there they were, waiting for the undesirable to happen.

As they entered the empty halls of the buildings, Rias spoke up and gave her orders, "Listen, everyone, I'm going with Akeno back to the club room in order to get someone who'll be able to help us. For that, I want Issei and Asia to come with, and Natsu, you and Xenovia will lead our guests back to their room from last night to get their teammate. Once you all complete this I want us to meet in the back yard, Erza and her group will get their aide from there."

Just as Rias finished, she whipped her hair back and beckoned Issei and Asia to follow her along with Akeno. She steadily walked down the hall where her club room was located with loud clicks from her heels. The people left behind watched her leave, feeling a bit dumbfounded at her prickly attitude.

"Levy, what did you say this time?" Natsu asked accusingly turning to the petite woman.

"Seriously? I know that most of the disastrous stuff happens to be my fault, but this time it wasn't!" Levy boasted, trying to defend herself. '_Natsu's the only person who can make me feel guilty like this… it sucks._'

"Well, to be more accurate, it's approximately a chance of 83.65% that the problem is your fault, miss Levy," NF informed the group as Mira and Xenovia could be seen laughing at his monotone answer.

"Haha, wow, this Levy is more destructive than Natsu is! How much training did you have to do to beat that record, huh?" Happy snickered on top of Natsu's head, laughing along with him.

"Way to throw me under the bus, Watermelon."

"Your sarcasm means a great deal of nothing to me, Master. I feast on evil souls after all."

That's when Xenovia finally realized their objective, "Hey, Natsu, we should start heading toward where they left, uh… what's her name?" She tilted her head, trying her best to remember the last girl's name but to no avail.

"Kagura! That's right! Man, she should really get more of a personality- how many times did we forget about her?" Natsu rhetorically asked as he began his trip down the opposite hall.

"Three times, pseudo master Natsu," NF said again.

"Ya know, maybe I should deactivate your vocal communications for now."

"That seems like a terrific idea, Levy." Erza commented on the side, following Natsu to their next destination.

"Why do you even have him, Levy? It seems like a portable headache for me." Happy remarked with a shining gleam in his eyes.

"He's great at killing. Plus, he can perform a limit break and give me a battle meat suit"

The strangeness of the statement left the group in silence for the rest of the way.

The walk to the room Kagura was supposed to be in was quick and swift, luckily garnering no quips or remarks from neither Happy nor Normal Face. The trip was an unexpected straight path from the entrance hall to the third-floor room with the only twists and turns residing on the staircases. Mira watched intently while Natsu was talking to the busty blue-haired Devil she came to know as Xenovia, staring with slight envy at how he flashed her his signature grin with no reserve. It became apparent to all the Fairy Tail girls that Natsu had developed a somewhat heavy bond to the people in this universe, and that this Natsu was most similar to their own before the dastardly event that changed their lives for the worst.

Mira, in all honesty, didn't want to go through with all of these procedures Rias wanted- all she wanted was to hang out with this version of Natsu until the time came that they warped away and she could tell the same went for Erza, however, Levy had her head in the clouds, probably thinking about way more sensual topics. But none of them could get their wish if these flock of women didn't let go of him! She knew by now- as he expressed earlier- that Natsu would never touch them inappropriately because, in his mind, he would be helping them cheat on his other self and undermind his own worth as their friend. But no! That's not it at all!

Their Natsu would surely understand what they were going through and allow this type of… polygamy. They've done it before with no repercussions because having sex with different Natsu's was still having sex with Natsu! But alas, their woes could not be soothed by his strong and gentle touch as long as _Rias_ still kept him as a lap dog. Nevertheless, despite all the drama, she did enjoy the peace of this modern world. I mean, yes, there are strange supernatural works rummaging throughout the underbelly of society's composition, but what kind of universe doesn't have its flaws.

Mira was brought back from her monologue when she heard a loud knocking coming from in front of her. Natsu had raised his hand and banged his knuckles against the wooden frame as a warning of entry. He did one last check by calling out Kagura's name from behind the closed doors but still, no response came. Feeling a bit distraught at his friend's lack of presence, Natsu finally decided to open the door, slowly but surely creeping the hinges so that his field of vision increased by the second, however, Levy got fed up with his cautionary movements and slammed the doors open with a loud bang!

Not too grateful toward the petite girl's manners, he felt a bit off barging in her privacy when he never really knew her that well, in his own or any world for that matter. If it was Lucy, he would've kicked the door down, no second thoughts or regrets, like really would've destroyed that thing with a little fire added to spice things up just to make her mad, but this invasion of Kagura's personal space was nothing like that, as she always closed herself off due to her revenge scheme against Jellal.

"Yo! Mrs. Uptight Anal! We've come to get you!" Levy announced as loudly as she could, dropping NF on the floor while she headed toward the coach.

"Really, Levy? Do you always have to tease her?" Erza asked rhetorically, sighing as she sat down next to her while Mira did the same.

"No matter how much her attitude contradicts yours, some of the remarks- although very funny-"

"Thank you"

"Are often uncalled for." Mira lifted her legs and rested them on the stagnant coffee table, looking at NF whose eyes stopped blinking a while ago, "Hey, watermelon, you find anything yet? Is she here?"

"Hmm, yes she is. Right there, in fact." Normal Face pointed out after his scan shut down, pointing toward the back of the room. Everyone's eyes moved to the corner that was being shown and there indeed was Kagura sitting neatly with a new set of clothes and a cup of tea.

Natsu and Xenovia stared in confusion while the other girls had to turn around in their seats to look behind, baffled at the behavior of their partner.

"Kagura!" Happy cried, "Why didn't you answer when we were calling you!? That's freaky!"

"Oh, it's a simple reason, really," She took a sip of her steaming tea and closed her eyes in concentration, "After I realized you all left me, probably for that man right there," She pointed at Natsu, "I decided not to approach any of you for a single day, seeing as leaving me alone was just an afterthought."

"Well, that's the pettiest shit I've ever heard!" Mira yelled at her with annoyance clearly lining her face.

"What the hell, Kagura!?" Natsu yelled back with furrowed brows, "Are you always this selfish!?"

"No, you got it wrong Natsu, she's not selfish, just acting like a crazy bitch!" Levy lashed out as well.

"Hmm, your comments ring deaf to me, I won't even listen to you. Erza?" Kagura stated while standing up, putting her tea down on the counter next to her and walking toward the couch her partners were yelling on.

Erza, who strangely stayed quiet, merely looked at her numbly, clearly not acknowledging Kagura's position, "Listen, your little temper tantrum won't get any of us anywhere. So what if we left you? You could have come if you decided to join the harem"

Kagura's blush could be seen from across the room, which it was considering Xenovia was watching from the back. Her face lit up like a flaming cherry and her muscles frowned at an angle unimaginable. "I can't believe you're gonna equate leaving me, with an invitation to Natsu's harem! Despicable!"

"Okay, okay, I get. If you just accept your feelings for him right now, I'll let you in on a threesome with me and him." Erza stated with absolutely no change in tone. At this point, both Natsu and Xenovia were feeling a bit disturbed by this conversation.

"Ya know, maybe this can be resolved later. Let's head outside now to meet up with the President. Is that fine with you guys?" Xenovia, trying her best to weasel her way out of this confrontation, introduced another more viable path for the group the tread upon. Luckily everyone, especially Kagura, got on board with it really quickly and made a point to leave this room before things could escalate any further.

Natsu and Xenovia once again led the group down the hall this time accompanied by a fuming Kagura. The quartet of girls continued to argue with each other over trivial matters as they walked down the hall, with the second trip not being as peaceful as the first. Due to them being so aggressive and overly dominant, Xenovia unconsciously walked closer side-by-side with Natsu slightly worried something terrible was going to go down if she interrupted their quarrel, but Natsu reassured nothing was going to happen to her. He smiled as he looked behind him, watching his friends bickering over nonsense, glad that despite the terrible things they've gone through that the spirit of Fairy Tail could still survive.

Somehow, by using his uncharacteristically cheerful charm, Happy stopped the females from choking each other out by quickly reasoning with each of them and eventually ended up being cradled in Mira's arms while he purred with satisfaction. Even Natsu, who was used to seeing Happy instigate fights, was shocked by his skilled sweet-talking and lightly glared at his partner, "I swear, you did not learn that from me. Lisanna..." He whispered to himself disgruntled.

The trip to the backyard was longer than it was to Kagura's room, seeing as they were on the third story in the front of the building, and they had to walk down to the back. Luckily, Natsu's nose and NF's scanners found the shortest pathway to their destination as he had smelled Rias already waiting where they were headed with somebody else's scent he recognized. It smelled like an old person with expensive alcohol, fermented candles and a pinch of dastardly intent.

Wait…

Finally, they made it to the doors leading outside as Natsu rushed to swing them open, revealing the guest Rias brought to help them with their situation. It was none other than…

"Freaking Azazel! Holy crap, why didn't I think of that!" Natsu thought out loud, screaming to himself as he slammed his hands against his head. No wonder Rias looked so flustered about heading here! He recalled when Happy notified him about her weird demeanor while walking here as he took note of it too, but now it all makes sense! Rias has always had a strong distaste for the eccentric Fallen Angel and constantly tried her best to stay poised when facing this man, but his unrivaled skill at making her lose her cool was like no one else's.

"Ah, Natsu, I'm glad you made it on time. I was worried those girls would keep you to themselves," Rias said, nodding to acknowledge the Fairy Tail soldiers, "And I suspect that you and Happy had a role to play as well, Xenovia."

"I mean, not really-" Xenovia was cut off abruptly by the blue furball who flew out of Mira's arms and into the air.

"Of course, Rias. It was my cunning that got us here without those guys destroying the place!" He said with glee.

"Hey! Watch your damn mouth, Happy! You're just lucky I listened to you 'cause I appreciate your humor, nothing more!" Levy yelled back at him, threatening to launch Normal Face at his round body. Happy only dismissed her threat as playful remarks and continued to soar in circles above everybody.

"So, this is the person you think can help us? With all due respect, we never asked for any in the first place, you just brought us here without our permission." Erza walked forward in order to get a better study of the man Rias brought. With her hands on her hips, she pouted with obvious disappointment at his lame stature.

"What makes you think we need help anyway?" Mira asked with just as much sass, "We have our own resident genius right here." Levy perked up with pride as her chest was slightly puffed out.

"Hells yeah, I am." She boasted.

"Hold on guys, let's listen to what they have to say," Kagura walked up to where Erza remained standing and stood in front of the tacky man in baggy PJ's and a robe, holding out a hand with earnest intentions, "Hello sir, pardon my friends, but we're just a little anxious since coming here. My name's Kagura. The person next to me is Erza, the one in the back with blue hair is Levy, and the white one is MiraJane. Pleased to meet you."

Azazel smirked at her actions with his eyes glossing up and down her body before finally holding out his hand for a shake, "Nice to meet you too. I'm Azazel. Unlike the people you've met before, I'm not a Devil but a Fallen Angel- a different kind of creature you can say."

The tensions between this meeting were tough and raw, as clearly the majority of Kagura's group did not enjoy the presence of Azazel anymore than Rias, but she was trying her hardest to gain the trust of the people around her, '_The last thing we need is a death battle with these guys. If we can somehow not get this Azazel guy to not hate our guts, then we might have a chance of leaving here without becoming live targets._'

The handshake broke and she took a step back next to Erza while the older man continued his slow gaze over their bodies. Issei noticed the strange vibe Azazel was giving off, although he couldn't recognize this behavior ever coming from him before. It was as if Azazel was actually taking in the situation with care and not bombastically causing the erratic uproar he loves so much. But still, his staring was starting to become uncomfortable for everyone there, even though his gaze laid elsewhere beside him.

"Freaking creep! Keep the wandering eyes to yourself!" Levy screamed feeling agitated toward his questionable actions. She stomped over to him with anger clearly seeping through her pores while Mira slowly followed from behind, but she was stopped by a signal given from Erza, who had a deadly serious aura excreting from her body.

"Stop it, Levy. This man… he's studying us. Even if you provoke him, he probably won't stop looking at us like a piece of meat." She growled in from of him, her back straightened and her eyes fixated on Azazel's movements.

"Well, well, we got ourselves a really peculiar bunch don't we?" Azazel spoke as he turned back to face Rias, "You were right to call me over here. I was gonna come in a few days anyway, but this is so worth it."

Mira took this time to walk straight for Rias's path, ominously staring her down with her fist glowing a dark purple, "You guys are really unlucky there's magic in this universe. Most of the other ones we've been to had jack shit, so we had to rely on our weapons to fight, but here… we can let loose and kill a whole lot of people before we leave. So, why don't you go on and tell us what this dumbass is here for again, huh?"

Unfortunately for them, Mira was serious about that threat and both Natsu and Happy recognized that fact. They already knew from their origin story that their group had been through a lot of horrible encounters, the majority too despicable to describe, so this response is normal for them when they don't get something they want. And thanks to Azazel's innate charm for making people dislike him, this reaction was a given. Xenovia, who was still by his side, unconsciously clutched his arm tightly undoubtedly daunted by the menacing opposition Mira presented.

It was then that Natsu saw the rest of his Devil friends start to shake uncontrollably under the menacing pressure Mira gave off, but there was one who resisted the most against their fear, "Listen, I understand that you discern Azazel's methods as threatening and alarming because certainly, I do too. But let me reassure you, just as you have your resident genius, he happens to be our own. Unfortunately, I could not think of anyone else to bring over in such a short amount of time, so I apologize at this rash decision." Rias, who stood composed as ever, was secretly sweating a puddle in her heels. She did not shake like the others, she did not cower and she did not falter, for she needed to be a strong pillar of hope for her Peerage. If she fell to their threats, then how could any of them fight back against the obscene bully tactics being shown. Of course, she was still scared beyond words, she conceded that this group's strength was one not to be trifled with.

Everyone now had their eyes directly on Rias, and now waited on Mira's next move. She stood in place, statue-like, staring at Rias with furrowed brows, but that soon collapsed along with the intimidating aura that surrounded her. Surprisingly, she backed away from her and crossed her arms with a large smile. Mirajane has heard all she needed to hear and saw everything she needed to see.

"Hm, ya know what Rias, I guess we can get along after all," She began laughing hardily, bending over and covering her mouth in order to stifle her loud convulsions, "But you should have seen the way you looked at me! I knew you were scared but I didn't think you'd risk your life over this! That's one tough bitch!"

"Hey, MJ! That was a risky move, you dumbass! What if she took that provocation as a means to use deadly force!? What would you have done then!?" Kagura spouted with enough rage to erupt a volcano.

"I don't know- kill 'em I guess. Does it matter though?" She replied, slowly coming down from her high. Then she paused in mid-step. "Wait…that's probably extreme. After all, it's not like they're cannibals or anything…" Looking back at Rias, Mira gave a thumbs up. "I would beat you all badly! Then make Natsu give me a back massage!"

"I'm gonna just ignore all of that. That seems logical of her to say that though…" Issei fell to the ground from exhaustion and started wiping the sweat that built up off his face.

"Y-yeah, Issei, I'll do that too." Asia, already on her knees, concurred and fell on her back, clasping her hands and murmuring to herself in prayer, "Oh Lord, please don't make this my time to leave."

"Anyway, everything's fine, she passed _'the test',_" Mira said walking back to her group and staring face front toward Azazel, "We can trust this guy."

"Okay, I know that now, but why didn't you just do it to _him_?" Kagura sighed tiredly, exaggerating her point to stress her case.

"Do you really think I'm that blind? This guy's strong- pretty strong actually- my instincts told me."

"Why thank you, madame. I'm glad my strength could be recognized by someone like you," Slyly, Azazel bowed in appreciation toward her remark and straightened up to look over the group. He saw Natsu and Xenvoia finally walking toward him and beckoned Happy and the watermelon to join as well, "Now, let's get down to business, hm? To summarize what Rias told me, you four, or five, are from a different universe that is similar to the one Natsu came from and in your time, you developed technology that lets you travel across those universes, but something happened in a battle and now you're drifting from place to place with no way to control it thanks to an unknown force causing you to warp. Did I get it?"

The four girls look at each other for a while before Erza spoke, "Uh, yeah, pretty much."

"Awesome! You have no idea how much I've wanted to have more specimen's! I've been studying Natsu here ever since I got wind of his circumstance, and now, this unknown force has brought me more!" Azazel was ecstatic at this revelation, evidently more excited than anyone there ever was.

"Hey, we're not gonna be your lab rats! I'm the only one who gets to decide that!" Levy yelled from the back, jumping up and down to get the taller man's attention, "You hear me! I'll be the one experimenting on you! Freaking pervert!"

"Wait, you've been what?" Natsu asked, but his question was lost in the ruckus.

"Okay, I get it, Levy. Somehow, we'll come to a compromise. But for now, I'd like to see this device of yours." He said while waving his hand in order to dismiss her obvious anger. Right now, he needed to get answers, not inciting reactions- that's a scientist's job after all. Reluctantly, Levy called out to Normal Face asking for the "IVD" that he's been storing somewhere in his watery contents. Suddenly, he walked forward, past the front of the group and stood in front of Azazel as he looked on completely puzzled by the fruit's behavior. It was then that NF started gagging and making disturbing noises and facial expressions that caused the others to grimace in response until he finally upchucked a piece of metal right into Azazel's hand.

"Ew," he stated, wiping off the juices that came with it. He examined it and thoroughly combed through the device's structure and commented on how well compacted and sleek it was, "Levy, was it? You're the expert here, so I'd like you to tell me more about this when the time comes. But for now, I'd like to tell you my thesis."

"Your thesis? How the hell could you come up with one when you just looked at the outside of a device you barely understand?" Levy asked rudely, purposely throwing shade at his current circumstance. Everyone stayed quiet while they waited for his response until what came out was a genuine laugh.

"Hahaha! Wow, you really are something, aren't you? You take pride in your intellect and shame others on their lack of. I respect that," Azazel tossed the device down to NF and continued talking, "Well, you're right about one, thing: I do barely know how it works, but that's why I'd like to learn more. And to answer your question from before, despite my not knowing how _exactly_ it works, I can understand the concept behind the design and the materials presented to me."

"Fine then, go on, smart guy."

"Of course! I was planning on doing that without your permission," He smiled while looking at her skeptical face, "From what I can tell, you use a compound not commonly found on Earth, in fact, most of it is man-made due to its unspeakably fast decay half-life. And because of its almost instantaneous decay, you found a way, by some means, to sustain it for long periods of time with something as simple as a charge from a household outlet. Now, that same material has special properties that allow it to mess with some laws of space-time and because it doesn't exist in abundance or longevity, its effects aren't felt unless acted upon. And Levy, I'm guessing that little noggin of your created a new theorem on the multiverse and used your innovations to make this device a reality, but of course, you had outside help… maybe from another universe as well?"

By now, Levy could explode into confetti by the amount of shaking in her boots with red hot anger flushing her face, staring daringly at the snarky homeless man, '_What… the... HELL! How the actual fuck! Did he figure that out!? He did not just use mind-reading on me, I know it! So what is it then!? Did he really find all that out by looking at for a few seconds?_' "Okay, that was impressive, old man. But what does that have to do with your theory? What is it even about?"

"Well, the first part was mostly me just proving you wrong which I did wonderfully if I might add."

"Don't make me kill you..."

"And about my theory, well… I believe that whatever is inflicting you and this device are connected, obviously, but it's not a thing rather than a who," Seeing the confused faces of everyone there, he went on, "Let me explain. Somehow, someway, someone trying to keep you away from your own universe for reasons that are over my head, so I'm guessing something important is about to go down in your universe, correct? Then that 'void' I was told about? That sounds like something far more powerful than anything heaven or hell could accomplish. For all I know, this person wanted you to absorb massive amounts of quantum particles. As for why this person would do such a thing, your guess is as good as mine"

"So, to put it shortly, we're being sabotaged? Who the hell would have had the opportunity to do that?" Mira turned to her partners and discerned that they had as much as a clue as she did. Absolutely nothing.

"A normal person wouldn't. We volunteered on a spur of the moment back home to go to Sera with Natsu. Plus, the Magnolia Gate was under surveillance every moment of every day. It's impossible for an intruder to mess with it without somebody finding out" Levy stated with bluntness as her frustrated anger rose. _"If somebody did cause this…I'm gonna fucking kill them"_

"Whoever they are…they are extremely powerful. But the good news is, they seem to want your group to live. After all, your timing in certain realities seem very fortunate for the victims or to change the course of history"

"That's…kinda true. So far we have encountered those that need help. Planets are large, yet our group seemed to be where we needed to be…" Kagura thought out loud, her fingers stroking her chin in contemplation.

That's when Akeno spoke up, "So, Azazel-sama, what can you do to help them? Not to be rude, but that is the reason why we brought you here."

"Well, here's the short story kiddos- I've got nothing, notta, zip, zero ideas on how to fix this… unless some short blue-haired rage teen decided to fill me in on how it works" Azazel's selfish grin was now in full effect, causing Levy to burst out a colorful range of curses and plaguing vocabulary.

"You son of -" (The following has been censored due to the barbaric and inappropriate vivid imagery being described by the mad scientist) "Cock sucker!" Levy bellowed at the top of her lungs at full intensity. While she collected her breath, everyone in the vicinity wondered whether or not the entire neighborhood heard her vent.

"Yo, Levy, you okay?" Natsu cautiously approached her reaching out a hand to place on her shoulder. But just like swatting a bee, she whacked his arm away and turned toward Azazel with seemingly clear intentions to hurt him.

"Listen, Natsu, unless you're gonna bring me to bed, I suggest keeping your shit to yourself." She seethed out.

"Yes, ma'am!" Natsu saluted in fear while he dashed behind Erza and Rias in record time, "Protect me..." He whispered, still going through the motions.

Meanwhile, Levy approached the taller man and glared daggers at his soul, her menacing blue magic slowly becoming visible, "I am just about up to HERE, with your BS, mate! But you know what!? I'll work with you since you seem to know your shit, you absolute asshole! I swear, if you didn't make a compelling argument, I would have my damn WATERMELON shove itself UP YOUR ASS!"

"Great!" Azazel replied as he watched her stomp toward the nearest tree and punch it to the ground with brute force, yelling simultaneously while doing so. Everyone stared flabbergasted at what transpired between the two, still confused on whether or not she had taken up his offer, but due to the absurd interaction it doesn't seem like that'll be answered very soon.

Issei stepped up to the plate and headed to Kagura, the most level headed of the group, to ask, "Is she gonna be okay?" Not currently able to answer that question, Kagura shrugged her shoulders and watched with everyone else as Levy continued to plow down the nearby forest. A couple of minutes passed and a dozen trees fell until Erza finally called in and reeled Levy back from her blind rage while the bluenette was hesitant to comply, she did so after realizing the mess she made.

"Uh, I'm not gonna clean that up." She said as her way of apologizing.

"Yeah, yeah, we know." Mira slapped her back hard almost causing her to fall forward as she laughed once more, "Man, your tantrums can be riveting sometimes, ya know that?"

"Anyway," Akeno butted in, wanting to get down to business, "Have you truly acknowledged Azazel's help with your problem?"

"What? Yeah, whatever. He can help, I have a few questions for him myself anyway." Akeno sighed in relief after hearing that. Thankfully, the meeting she and Rias had set up wasn't a bust in the end. She turned to the President to also see her smile as the red-head walked to talk to Levy.

"Listen, I know how hard it can be to deal with that guy most of the time but trust me, he only teases the ones he likes the most. Natsu over here doesn't get it because he has the attitude and stubbornness of a child. At least there's one thing we can agree on, huh?" Rias spoke, trying her best to comfort Levy with the Fallen Angel's antics.

"Yeah, that guy needs a damn muzzle cause he talks so much."

"Agreed." Rias said.

"Second that!"

"Me too!"

"I actually think it's funny." MJ interrupted with her out of place remark.

"Hahahaha! Looks like everyone finally is getting along! I knew it was possible!" Natsu cheered with Happy, pulling him along in a circle, "I have a perfect idea! Let's sing-"

"No, no, no singing Natsu! Especially _that_ song!" Rias exclaimed, pointing a finger at the man's lips.

"Aw," Happy whined, "But we haven't done it in a long time!"

"I said no!" Rias shot back. It was then that she noticed the curious faces of the Fairy Tail group and reluctantly decided to inform them about the "Dragon song" his father taught him as a child. Erza couldn't recall anything about hearing a "Dragon song" from their Natsu, so she'll have to ask once they somehow get home.

Watching the different groups mingle brought a little sunshine in Azazel's gray heart. He realized that they felt good being surrounded by all this comradery, and that's exactly why he wanted to destroy it, you know, for the laughs and giggles- _his_ laughs and giggles.

"Alrighty now! I have something to propose!" He announced with great vigor, "I've been told that you soldiers are all very strong, so strong, in fact, that you can waste multiple armies with just the magic you already possess, am I correct?"

"That wouldn't be inaccurate," Erza said paying closer attention to his words. It was clear that he wanted something from them.

"Then, in that case, I would love to see how you scale compared to the different version of Natsu you all meet yesterday. Since he's been here so long, I have a great understanding of his limits and capabilities, so testing them on one of you would be a great exercise of prowess." Azazel clapped his hands together waiting for their response, but no ones were as fast as Natsu's.

"Yes! Yes! I'll do it, I'll definitely do it! I've been wanting to fight one of my guildmates for months!" Natsu yelled enthusiastically, "And I have just the person in mind!"

"Wait, why wouldn't you choose me, Azazel?" Issei questioned, hoping his inquiry would be answered.

"Well, the answer's simple, Issei," He smiled deviously, "Do you _really_ want to fight people like them?"

Realizing where he was going with this, Issei backed down and steadily lowered his stance, "Ha, yeah, you make a good point. I don't really feel like dying right now," Issei walked to Natsu who was still jumping with excitement and put a hand on his shoulder with a look of intensity he had never given before, "I just have one thing to ask of you, Natsu," He said into his ear, "Don't you dare become crippled."

"Hey! What makes you think I'm that unreliable!?" He turned toward Issei in surprise. He honestly thought he had more faith in him, "I swear I'm gonna blow their socks right off!"

"Can you do that to their underwear too?"

"Okay, leave before I knock you out man."

"Fair enough."

Getting things back on track, Azazel called for their attention, "So, are you girls willing to fight for me?"

"First of all, we're not gonna fight for you, we don't fight for any other motive than to protect ourselves and our loved ones. However, if need be, we would fight for you Natsu, but it seems like that's already been decided." Erza said with a smirk as she walked away from the group and toward the aforementioned boy, "And I think I know who you want to fight the most."

"What! Erza! You can't just decide for yourself that you're gonna fight him! What if I want to!" Mira exclaimed in protest, grabbing her hand to stop her from motioning forward.

"No, Mira, she's right. I do want to fight her, really bad. I want to see how I compare to the other me in strength. It only makes sense to see if I'm stronger than myself!" Natsu yelled as his fists caught aflame.

"See, I'm his favorite on any world." Erza mocked, slipping her hand out of Mira's grip while she pouted in response to being rejected.

"That is so not fair. He deserves to get his ass kicked now." She said.

"Uhp pupup!" Azazel raised his voice as he stopped Natsu and Erza from clashing prematurely, "Before you two fight, I have to put up a small Magical Barrier that'll negate any damage done once it's deactivated. It'll only take a few seconds, starting now. Oh, and I suggest you guys move away." He gestured to Rias' group as they realized Mira, Kagura and Levy had already moved back dozens of meters.

Once they were in place, the small crowd witnessed as a transparent dome began to materialize from the ground up, encompassing a large area of the school grounds as a protective measure. Once the different parts met in the middle up top, the grayish transparency was faded and the shield became completely clear. Mira's group remarked at how easily a high-level spell like this was put it in a matter of seconds, acknowledging Azazel's skill with magic. While they watched Azazel add the finishing touches, their attention was also drawn to the two combatants who stretched in the middle of the clearing. Natsu called for Happy, who was still with the group, as he flew over to his partner at a fast pace. Happy turned his back toward him and hovered in front of his face while Natsu searched inside his partner's green backpack. After moving the surprising amount of fish, he pulled out his so-called "fighting uniform" that was given to him by Grayfia who made it both Fire and electrically resistance.

Its design was similar to the style of what he usually wore. He had an open collar long-sleeved black jacket with gold trimmings on the outside. The arms had a long gold strip starting from the shoulder down to his forearms with the image of a skull stitched on the end of the sleeve. His pants were baggy, like always, and were black with the same arm design on the jacket, however, without the skulls. There were notably many pockets built-in as well and the pants stopped near his ankles making them seem "high-water". Finally, he pulled out black combat boots left untied with no laces on the top.

Somehow, all of that came from Happy's tiny backpack but it was always just assumed that it was magic as well. Natsu took his current clothing and threw them away, stripping down to his underwear and changing in front of his friends. Xenovia took the initiative and purposefully covered Asia's eyes, despite her not wanting her view of the fight to be obscured. Finally, he donned his outfit and finished by wrapping around his white, scaly scarf given to him by Igneel.

"Hmm, it seems this Natsu has a sense of style." Levy purred hungrily looking at Natsu slip on his boots. A little chill ran up everyone's spine when they heard that.

Erza paused from her stretches and decided to note where he got his clothing, "Oh, well, it was a gift I got from Grayfia!" Natsu yelled from across the field, "She seems mean at first but she's actually really nice!"

"Well, I can say she has good taste with style." Erza commented, straightening her posture as she finished by cracking her back, "Then I guess I better do the same."

Just as she said that a bright light covered her skin below her neck, revealing the curves of her figure but hiding what it held underneath. Soon, the light dimmed and outlined the shape of bulk squares until it was fully seen that she had requiped the newly cleaned armor she had worn when she got to this universe. Weirdly enough, Erza did not summon a weapon of any fashion or handle one anywhere on her body. She smirked as she stared at the equally grinning Natsu who began exhaling thick smoke from his mouth.

"That's pretty insulting Erza. I can't believe you're not gonna bring out one of your toys to play." Natsu teased as he bent down into a low stance, fist ablaze and spirit roaring.

"Well, I need to see how good you are at hand to hand combat. We always start at the basics, Natsu. Plus…I don't want to accidentally maim you, way too handsome" Erza fraternized him with a sing-song tone with an impish smile gracing her lips. She took on no stance, unlike Natsu, already expecting him to rush her the moment the fight starts.

"Hahaha, it looks like the fight is about to start! Right on time too!" Azazel whistled and gazed around at his work, applauding himself at the speedy job, "Now, let's get this wrapped up, shall we?"

"WAIT!"

The gathering paused, their gazes studying Levy as she started to run toward the barrier.

"What? Is something wrong with my barrier?" Azazel inquired as he patted himself down. _"It's flawless! I know it is!"_

"There's nothing wrong with your shitty magic box! Just hold on for a few minutes! Normal Face! With me! We have a scenario seven on our hands!"

"The squirrels have gained sentience and plan on destroying humanity?" the watermelon asked in a simple monotone.

"That's scenario twenty seven! This is far more serious!" Running up to the barrier wall, the short haired bluenette raised a finger…and summoned approximately a dozen sheets of paper that floated around her.

"Paper? That doesn't seem that strong" Issei said with a normal conclusion…until the mentioned female _sliced _her way out of the magical enclosure with frightening ease. The woman ran through with her companion, his newly washed boots hitting the fresh grass as the two disappeared from sight.

"Uhhh…so….what now?" Natsu asked his sparring partner who sighed. She had been all ready to throw down…then Levy got called by her random madness.

"We wait a few minutes. She can get distracted sometimes" Erza stated in annoyed bluntness. _"I really need to work of some physical stress damn it!"_

"What kind of magic was that!? I'm sooo interested in learning more!" Azazel cheered out, the male very impressed with the ease his new study partner displayed.

"That's Levy's _Paper Shredder_ attack. On top of her normal Levy magic, she developed it for the battlefield. To date, she hasn't faced an enemy that can withstand it" Mira lightly explained with a shrug.

"But…it's just paper right? Like floating sheets of paper?" Rias inquired with curiosity as Erza shook her head to the side.

"No. Imagine a blade that is mere micrometers at the cutting edge that can cut between atoms. Flesh. Stone. The strongest metals. She can cut through them all…and she will use hundreds of them against her strongest enemies. There's usually nothing but bloody cubes of flesh left. It is a very fearsome spell" Kagura input.

"Is there a way to counter it?" Akeno asked, her voice almost sly as she raised an eyebrow at the remaining three visitors.

"Yeah. Attack her from far away. Or try to get the drop on her. But…I really would suggest not challenging her to a fight. She's in a pretty good mood now…despite Natsu not pleasing her sexually" Mira stated with a blunt scowl, her eyes boring onto the male dragon slayer with womanly annoyance.

"OH, COME ON! YOUR STILL MAD ABOUT THAT!?"

"Women have needs too Natsu, just saying"

"Lucky bastard…" Issei muttered below his breath. Why can't busty women try to seduce him!?

"Soo…how long will this take?" Asia asked softly, her gaze glancing at the barrier as the three women shrugged. They really couldn't say. After all, they didn't even know what Levy was talking about before she ran off.

Levy ran down the street away from the academy as her short companion followed with puffed cheeks. She didn't care about the strange looks she had gotten…or the random passerby recording the strange sight of a running watermelon. No…her mind was very focused.

"THERE!" Levy pointed out to her creation, the finger extended toward the store across the street. Running into traffic, a car narrowly avoided striking her in the side as tires squealed. It flew over the curb, colliding with a lamp post as several people screamed in fright.

Yanking the door open of the wine and spirits business, the woman ran past the concerned clerk as he stood up. The driver of the crashed car had climbed out, shouting insults at the duo as smoke rose from the engine.

"Uh…can I help you?" he asked, his eyes darting to the phone. _"I should call the police. She just caused an accident outside"_

"There's no time!" Grabbing some Cherry Rum from a shelf, she kept it close as she moved toward the whiskey. "Normal Face! Grab some beer!"

"YES, MISS LEVY!" The watermelon saluted as he moved toward the back. Other customers avoided the strange creature, their eyes wide at the impossible sight. Watching it open one of the coolers, it grabbed a twelve pack of bottled beer. Grunting, the fruit clutched it close to his chest as Levy snatched up a fifth bottle of barrel aged bourbon.

"That's it! Let's go buddy!"

"Yes creator!" Running past the clerk, the talking melon followed his master as she kicked the door open with haste.

"HEY! YOU NEED TO PAY FOR THAT!"

"RUN NORMALFACE! BEFORE THE MALL COPS SHOW UP!" Levy ran, her arms clutching the precious liquids as the two sprinted down the sidewalk in full view.

The clerk snatched up the phone, dialing 9-1-1 in moments.

"Hello police? I've just been robbed by a blue haired woman…and a watermelon. …Kuoh Wine and Spirits. …No, I'm not drunk. …I'm not prank calling either. Can you please send somebody? She seemed mentally unhinged"

**Ten minutes later…**

The magical barrier shimmered for a moment…then parted as Levy ran in with her watermelon. Her cheeks were lightly flushed with her ample chest rising. Multiple bottles of booze were clutched to her bosom, the bottles almost sparkling in the sunlight.

"I'm back! And I found some booze! Scenario seven crisis averted!' she cheered with a happy grin as the duo moved toward Mira and Kagura.

"Wait…YOU FREAKED OUT BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ALCOHOL!?" Rias shouted, her hair standing for a moment as her breasts bounced from the sudden movement.

"Obviously. How else am I supposed to watch Natsu get all hot and sweaty?" Cracking open the bottle of cherry rum, she drank deeply before setting the other items on the grass.

Akeno narrowed her eyes at the shorter woman, her gaze piercing. "Where did you get all that. From what I know, you don't have any money…"

"I found it in a store" Levy drank again before placing a finger to her lips in a cute thinking pose. "For some reason, the worker shouted at me as I ran out though…"

"That's called shoplifting!"

"Really…? Now that's interesting…" the woman concluded as her watermelon started to drink a beer himself. _"Is shoplifting a crime? I really can't remember…"_

"HAHAHA! You really are something else! I love it!" Azazel cheered happily as the mentioned scientist found a spot…and proceeded to drink with Mira.

"RESUME! And you better win, Natsu! Otherwise I'll punish you!" Mira cheered out, her womanly lips wrapping around her new found booze as the two drank.

"They're acting like Cana…" Natsu lightly shuddered. _"Wait…shouldn't she be cheering for Erza?"_ The man tried to conclude before a throat cleared. Looking up at Erza, she was waiting patiently as her eyes bore into him.

"Right…RIGHT! MY FIGHT!" the fire mage shouted with a large grin as he took a fighting stance. Sliding a foot forward, he could feel the growing tension.

The two mages seemingly stared daggers at each other, despite this only being a friendly match, they could never have taken it any more seriously. The air around them started to slowly rise in temperature as this was normal when fighting Natsu, but the air also carried with it a weight that couldn't really be measured. Someone in this battle was holding something back from the rest of them that nobody could surmise. The silence only made the tensions between the group grow more anxious and unsteady as the only sounds that could be heard were the crackling from Natsu's fire and their own heart beating.

The adrenaline got to Azazel too; he did not expect to feel as psyched as he was right now, but what could he say, he had a fetish for unknown. He just had to find out just how strong these women from another world were. He raised his hand slowly and watched each fighter stagger in anticipation waiting for the arm to be thrown back down. Azazel kept up the wait until suddenly he released it, "Begin!"

Natsu, as Erza predicted, shot straight out of his stance jumped high into the air, cocking his right arm back and setting it blazing with a strong burst of flames. He descended quickly and with the intensity he has shown in all of his battles, falling toward her with his attack locked and loaded. Once he was within distance, Natsu threw his arm forward with all of his might and felt his fist connect with some flesh. His flames expelled from his fist and hit Erza with a loud explosion of heat and air. The dust soon cleared with the group watching in awe as Erza gripped Natsu's fist with her own and stood readily in a small burnt crater with only small cinders attaching themselves to her skin and armor.

"That was pretty nice, but remember, this isn't the first time I fought you, stupid. I practically became fire retardant a long time ago." Erza sneered while letting go of Natsu's extinguished fist.

Jumping back out of the burnt ground, Natsu landed still wearing his signature cocky grin, "I'm Fired Up now!"

**And there's the cliffhanger! I hope you enjoyed this! And poor Natsu…dealing with insane women on both sides hahaha. Lucky bastard… **

**If you haven't read Satan Salamander check it out! It's Happy approved!**

**Levy sits next to Rias: He refused me…my awesome body! *Drinks* But you got some nice double D's! Seduce him! Or better yet! Get him home…then seduce him with his own Erza!**

**Rais: Didn't you just rob a store? Why should I take relationship advice from somebody drinking at barely noon?**

**Levy stares: HEY MIRA! RIAS SAID SHE'LL DO IT WITH HIM ONCE HE GETS BACK HOME!**

**Mira: Really…? I bet she likes it rough too. Akeno should help out with my own double. After all, he does wield nine inches of man meat…**

**Natsu: I CAN HEAR YOU ALL!**

**Happy: Oh…does this mean your gonna have babies with lots of girls, Natsu?**

**Natsu: NOT HELPING HAPPY!**

**This is thehappy…And 03Jtunice signing off!**


	11. DxD (Part Two)

**Hello everybody! I hope you all stocking up on valuable things! Like ammo to fend off crazed survivors once the food, water, and power runs out!**

**Kidding! But seriously…don't try to rob me or I'll shoot your ass! But for now…enjoy and read this second part for DxD! It's pretty laid back compared to the next chapter in line. And sadly, 03JTunice wasn't able to write much for this chapter because of his studies and other issues caused by the media's mass hysteria agenda. Still, I hope all you readers enjoy it and leave positive reviews! And if you gonna be a dick, I'll block your ass…or put you in the story where a badger rips your eyes out!**

**Now…I still don't own any media!**

**DxD (Part Two)**

* * *

**Kuoh Academy (Inside the magical barrier)**

Natsu lit his hand's on fire, the flames calm yet heated fervently as he stared across to his opponent. Raising his magic, Natsu knew he couldn't go all out right away as he studied the female soldier. Erza stood still, her hands raised in a defense manner as each fighter stared each other down for a brief moment.

His friends were a sizable distance away, watching intently while Levy and Mira drank with that crazy watermelon.

A leaf passed between himself and Erza, the red-head's hair flowing softly as she kept her brown eyes locked on him. She exhaled, the Gear armor hiding the small movement… but it was all Natsu needed.

A burst of flames kicked out from his feet as the magical flames grew hotter, propelling him forward on a stream of fire as a grin adorned his face.

"FLAME DRAGON GOD'S PIERCING TALON!" Extending his right leg, Natsu released a vicious roundhouse kick toward Erza's head as flames billowed from his foot.

She read the attack, raising her left arm to block as flesh met armor in a staggering blow. It rattled her, but she didn't budge before she grasped the limb with reflexs born on the battlefield. Clenching tight as the man seemed to stay suspended for a moment, the knight curled a right hand fist.

"ONLY FOOLS ANNOUNCE THEIR ATTACKS!" Striking Natsu in the stomach, the male went flying with a strained 'oofh' of expelled air. Flipping to the side, Natsu barely made a landing as the smile never left his face.

"That was a good hit Er—!"

Scarlet was charging forward, her heavy boots crushing soil and grass with a small grin adorning her beautiful features. Almost in striking range, the woman let out a kick as Natsu jumped backwards. She missed, the front sole slamming into the dirt as Natsu ran forward.

"GOTCHA!"

Coating his fist on fire, the male jumped and managed to get inside Erza's guard with a heavy punch that connected with her cheek. Her head flew to the side, taking the blow as a few speckles of spit flew.

"You'll have to do better than that to beat me!" She yelled while countering with a heavy haymaker. The closed fist crashed into the man's jaw, knocking him to the side as both parties jumped back to assess their opponent. Natsu didn't give her a chance to recover. After all…this was Erza. Not the ice-pop. He couldn't make any mistakes or he'd lose! Closing the distance, he ran low and swiftly toward the knight.

"Flame Dragon God's Scything Horn!" Lowering his head, Natsu smirked as Erza planted her boots in a defensive stance. _"She won't expect this!"_ Unleashing a bloom of flame from his feet, Natsu shot toward the red head like a bullet…and crashed cranium first into her abdomen.

"Ungh!"

It was a heavy blow…stronger than she expected as bits of spittle flew from her mouth while she doubled over. But Scarlet was used to pain…far worse than this as she grabbed the male by his hair…and kneed him in the face.

"GAH!" Natsu cried in pain…then was struck again as the woman unleashed another knee attack. His forehead throbbed from the impact, a slight dizzying of his vision before he engulfed his right fist in fire as she prepared another hit.

"TAKE THIS!" He shouted, punching her in the abdomen with all the force he could bring from the precarious stance. Flame washed over her armor, singing and marring the surface while she released her hold.

Taking a deep breath, the knight backed away a few feet as both eyed each other once more.

"Not too bad Natsu, but mine is still far stronger"

"I'd expect nothing less from…myself? Yeah, myself!" Sprinting forward once more, the two rejoined their fight as fists and feet flew. A fire coated jab was blocked, but Natsu was ready for Erza's counter as he grasped her arm…then threw her to the ground. Air expelled from her lungs, but she recovered far too quickly as she spun. Sweeping his legs out from under him, Natsu hit the ground before Erza rolled on top of him in a straddle.

"You should've slept with me Natsu…now your gonna pay…"

"YOU CAN'T PUNISH ME FOR THAT!" the man cried in fear…and barely blocked with his arms crossed over his head and chest. The woman attacked with a coiled fist, the knuckles 'thwacking' against his bronzed skin as annoyance crossed her eyes.

"I REALLY NEEDED RELIEF YOU IDIOT!" Punching again, she was thrown off by the fire mage as he squirmed away with a hint of heavy fear. Throwing a few spells of burning flame in her direction as the grass singed and smoked, Natsu wasn't surprised when the knight dodged each one.

Stopping, Natsu glared at Erza…then felt a chill crawl up his spine. She was studying him…like prey while licking her lips.

"THIS IS A FIGHT! STOP THINKING PERVERT THINGS!" Natsu pointed, his annoyance rising while Erza gave a cute pout.

"I am not a pervert. AND YOU SHOULD BE HONORED TO LAY WITH ME!" Hitting a few buttons on her wrist mounted storage device, the knight soon had a sword in her grasp as her fingers wrapped around the hilt…with a little too much force. Charging forward, the woman swung her blade as the audience watched with baited breath…or large amounts of alcohol.

Natsu rolled, ducking under the hissing steel as he sought to create some distance. However, Erza was already on him as she swung again. He blocked with his left forearm, the bone rattling as he was pushed back.

"Your very fortunate I'm taking it easy on you, Natsu. If this was a fight to the death, I would've slain you already" Erza said through gritted teeth as her opponent unleashed another flame enshrouded fist from his right…and connected with her jaw. It barely had an effect as her brown eyes looked at him with calming fury.

Headbutting the male on instinct, Natsu cried out at the surprise move…then found himself kicked across the field.

"You should give up now. If I go to my max, I'd end up destroying or killing your friends…and this school. In fact, my ultimate spell 'Raining Steel' would see the destruction of a significant portion of this city"

Wiping a few trickles of blood from the corner of his mouth, Natsu stood straighter at that statement...then grinned. After all, fighting strong opponents made him stronger!

"Your magic is that strong…then…HOW ABOUT THIS! FLAME DRAGON GOD'S DAZZLING FLAME!"

His magic surged in an instant, blowing back the grass around him as Natsu raised his hands to form a roiling orb of dazzling flame. Bits of electricity surged and popped along the surface, crackling with magical strength as Rias blushed slightly from the side from his growth and power. Natsu grew it to the size of a small car, his face filled with determination and joy.

Releasing the spell, the orb hissed through the pleasant air on a direct course with Erza. The woman smirked, lowering the sword as the ball of flame burnt a trail over the arena. Getting within five feet, Natsu smiled as he saw victory in his grasp….until Scarlet cut through the magical orb, slicing it in half as both parts flew past her. Exploding at her back, flames roiled and rose, scorching the earth behind her as her hair billowed and flew…but she was unscathed.

"WOOOO! Go Red! Teach him for not having sex..hic! with us!" Mira cheered, her voice carrying from the side while several beers littered the ground.

"That was quite impressive. I thought at least some of that attack would land" Azazel commented, his body language enjoying the show so far as the women nearby chatted.

Natsu shook his head, chocking up the words to them being crazy perverts.

"I hope that wasn't your best…" Erza said with a sinister tone as the woman took a few steps forward.

"NO WAY! Time for the big guns now, Erza!" Natsu shouted before he fell further back. _"With that sword, she has the reach to land hits before I can. Not to mention years of heavy combat against monsters. And while I would like to use my Dragon Force, that seems extreme for this fight…TIME TO FINISH HER OFF AND WIN!"_

Inhaling deeply, Natsu's chest began to swell as magic and fire grew. Pouring a large portion of his magic into the attack as Erza started to charge, Natsu internally smiled at the fun fight.

"FLAME DRAGON GOD'S SCORCHING ROAR!"

A pillar of roiling fire and flame pushed past his mouth, stabbing across the land toward Erza in brief moments as she held the sword with one hand.

At the last moment she dodged to the side, the flames roaring past her head with her locks flowing. She felt the blast of heat…the singeing hair and sweat on her brow as Erza started to move. Crouching low, she flanked the dragon still in the middle of launching his attack…then kicked him in the side with all her might.

'OOOFFFHHHH!" Natsu cried out as he lost his breath…and tumbled to the dirt. Several scratches and cuts appeared on his body, but he didn't have time to collect himself as he found himself pinned under the Scarlet knight's boot. She pressed down, pointing the blade away as her stern eyes bore into his.

"You lost. Give up now"

"Unghhh…I was hoping to beat you this time, Erza!" he groaned while his partner extended a hand.

"If it makes you feel any better, I haven't beaten my own Natsu in years. He is truly a capable slayer and soldier"

Taking the hand, Natsu felt a small grin graced his lips as he was pulled to his feet. "It does…a little bit"

"Good. Now, perhaps we can get some lunch…after we shower together"

"…You're just trying to do perverted things with me, aren't you?"

Erza looked away, a slight blush on her cheeks as a whistle escaped from pursed lips.

"Natsu! That was a great match…but if you get in a shower with that hussy I'll never forgive you!" Rias exclaimed, hair almost rising as Azazel chuckled.

"I'm surprised you two didn't go all out. I really wanted to see the extent of your magic and battle knowledge" The Fallen Angel asked Erza who shrugged before re-quipping into her standard fatigues.

"This was simply a fun match. Nothing to the death or where lives were at stake. Plus, based on his magical power, he's approximately on the same level as Fullbuster…maybe Laxus since you didn't use your full capabilities"

"WHAT!? I'M EVEN WITH THAT POPSICLE!?" The man shouted as he gripped his head, annoyance running through his mind. Natsu didn't even hear the part about Laxus. _"I thought I'd be near Gildarts, not that stripper!"_

"Wow, Natsu! You're not strong at all!" Happy cheered while flying around, his wings fluttering in the warm air.

"SHUT IT, CAT!"

"AAAAHHHHH! MIRAAAA!" Flying into the woman's arms, he cuddled up to her bosom as the take-over demon simply shook her head.

"Don't worry Natsu, I think you did great!" Asia said warmly, her eyes slightly closed with her beautiful smile.

"Actually Natsu, our Grey made it halfway through the S-class trials to face off against Erza. Then you compare him with say…Gildarts from a random universe, and I'd put my money on the ice mage to win. Please keep in mind that our natural level of magic is higher than your home Earthland so really, you should be proud to have kept up with Erza as long as you did" Mira exclaimed while Happy calmed down and climbed onto her shoulder.

"I guess…well! At least it was fun!" the fire mage said joyfully before looking around the burnt field at his friends. "So, what now? Your group still has a few days here so we should do something fun!"

"DRINKING!" Levy shouted, her stance a little unsteady while she chugged another beer.

"What about the beach? Rias' family owns a private one along the coast. And this whole weekend is supposed to be pleasant and warm" The busty devil Akeno suggested.

"I'm in! But only because you women will be in bikinis" Issei whispered that last part like a closet pervert, hands wringing at the racy images in his mind. Supple breasts…exposed cleavage and long, tanned legs…he would be in heaven!

"I am part melon and part water! I accept! THE RAGEMELON HAS SPOKEN!"

Several eyed the strange fruit, but dismissed it as the normal for the time being.

Azazel smirked while using his magic to fix the fight over the grounds, glad to see them overcoming differences. Too bad he would have to break it up as he held the I.V.D under his left arm…then set his right palm on Levy's shoulder.

"Actually, I'm gonna steal Levy and make her work in a lab, so…bye!" Summoning a transport circle that glowed orange and red, he stepped in as the woman thrashed.

"NOOOO! I WANTED TO SHOW OFF MY C-CUPS TO NAT-!" She was cut off, disappearing in a flash of light as Azazel whisked her away to who knows where.

"SERVES YOU RIGHT FOR LEAVING ME IN THAT ROOM!" Kagura yelled at the remaining sparkles of light.

"You know she can't hear you anymore?" Akeno reminded the fellow female with flowing, black hair.

"Hmmp! She's just a lust filled psychopath"

"Maybe we should wait until Levy gets back? After all, she's one of your friends…" Asia said awkwardly toward Erza and Mira. Both stood still for a moment, thinking about it in cute poses with slender fingers pressed toward their chins in contemplation.

"She wouldn't wait for us…" Erza said slowly, her head slowly nodding in agreement with herself as Mira did the same.

"Levy would want us to have fun without her. Never mind the fact she would want to show off in front of Natsu despite his insane, illogical statement to not take us to bed"

"YOU'RE STILL THINKING ABOUT THAT!? I THOUGHT I SAID I WOULDN'T FEEL RIGHT DOING THAT WITH YOU GIRLS!" He felt a hand grip his right shoulder…clenching with womanly strength. Looking back, he saw Rias staring at him with stern eyes.

"Natsu…you better not be thinking of sleeping with that…Scarlet haired tramp"

Erza stomped up, eyes flashing fire as she glared at Rias…then clamped her own hand on his left shoulder.

"Natsu. If you even begin to form the slightest thought of bedding this…crimson skank, I'll punish you. Now. Come and help me pick out a bathing suit for the beach" Pulling him along, Natsu felt himself pulled back by Rias whose eyes crackled with rivalry at the harlot.

"Actually. Natsu was going to help me prepare for the beach. So, he has to come with me"

"Bathing suits are more important than watching you stumble around like a slut"

"WHAT WAS THAT!? NATSU! DON'T TALK WITH HER! SHE JUST WANTS TO USE YOU!" Rias shouted in fury, pulling the man before Erza pulled him back.

"HUSSY!"

"WHORE!"

"I...I'm gonna die…" Natsu cried softly as both women pulled and yanked. The fact he had already taken some heavy blows during the fight did not help in the slightest.

"Hey! I'll help you pick out a bikini! I'll even judge how big your boobs look Erza!" Issei smiled with a perverse grin as he walked up and set a comforting hand on the Gear's free arm. Erza glared…teeth seething as Issei felt a chill crawl up his spine…almost like death.

And that's how the high schooler found himself kicked in the stomach and knocked out, drool escaping from the side of his mouth as Asia gasped.

"No man may touch Erza except for Natsu. The pervert will learn this" Normal Face said in an even monotone as he stepped over the unconscious body. Asia hurried to Issei's side, checking to see if he was badly wounded…but it's like the watermelon said. Knocked out.

"Natsu…choose. Bikini shopping with your childhood friend…or this crimson haired garbage dumpster" Erza whispered, her ire growing as Rias sent daggers to the rival.

"Ignore her temptation, Natsu. Help me prepare for our beach party away from this…this succubus!" Crackles of lightning left her eyes, a snap that Erza received as Akeno watched from a few feet away.

"_They really are very similar. Maybe it's a red head thing?"_

"Why not just make him do both! Go shopping then prepare food and drinks?" Mira suggested as Natsu looked on in horror.

"WHY WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT MIRA!? NOW I HAVE NO CHANCE OF ESCAPING!?"

"An excellent idea. That way he can help me choose the appropriate swimwear…and I can keep an eye on…her" Scarlet whispered with a grin, her brown orbs watching Rias as she raptly nodded.

"Agreed. It's obvious Natsu cannot be trusted on his lonesome with you. I will supervise to make sure nothing lewd happens. Then, we will gather supplies for the beach"

"Very well"

Both then started to drag the crying Natsu along the ground, his helplessness almost comical as the red heads decided his fate.

"Happy…help me…"

"Sorry Natsu! Mira just gave me a fish!" Chewing with joy, the cat enjoyed the snack as the mages and devils left the area.

"YOU TRAITOR!"

Leaving the school grounds, the large gathering headed to the closest shopping district as Natsu struggled to free himself…but found it futile as Erza and Rias dragged him down the street.

"Come on Rias, let me go…" the man pleaded with desperation. He knew the horrors in store…but maybe she would listen. They were friends after all!

"If I do that, then you'll try to escape with Erza. I cannot let that happen" Grimory stated with level evenness while dragging him down the sidewalk.

"Hey…did we forget anything?" Kagura asked Mira, the demon hauling the supply of alcohol Levy had found earlier.

Thinking about it, Mira shook her head. They had everything with them and Levy was off with Azazel for the next few hours. "I guess we should ask Rias or Akeno to get Azazel to bring Levy back for our beach party in a few hours. After all, it's barely noon so plenty of time"

"I guess that's what was bothering me. Okay, works for me"

And with that, they set about their plans as Issei was left on the school grounds, unconscious with droll sliding down toward the grass…

**Thirty minutes later…**

Natsu felt himself forced down onto the chair in the women's bathing suit section of the store. One pieces and bikini's hung around him while a few of the saleswomen looked on in slight jealousy. If only they could get their own boyfriends to go shopping with them!

"You…you probably don't need me for this…I…I'm sure your capable of picking out a—" He sprinted toward the exit, trying to mislead the two…until Mira tripped him. Landing hard, he looked back and saw the smirking demon in her gothic clothing leering down with utmost confidence. Emitting a small shriek, Natsu tried to crawl away…but felt his feet grabbed.

"Now Natsu. You should know better than to abandon Rias on such an important mission" Akeno uttered darkly as she and Mira dragged him back to the chair. Setting him down roughly, the male saw his life flash before his eyes.

"Someone… Happy… help me…"

"Sorry Natsu. But a day at the beach with a new bikini is too good to pass up. Unless…" Her lips quivered, a few tears forming at the corner of her blue orbs, "Unless you think I'm ugly!" the fake tears rolled down her cheeks… and they worked as Natsu shot up from his chair.

"NO WAY MIRA! You're really pretty! I bet all you ladies will look great in new suits!" He shouted as Mira sniffed once more.

"Then… you won't mind staying and helping us pick out something fun?"

"I'll do my best!"

Her tears immediately dried, a warm smile forming as she felt euphoria. "Good! Now tell us which ones you think look best!" Skipping away, the demon started to eye a purple number as Akeno chatted lightly with her.

"Wait… No…she tricked me with those damn tears!" Natsu groaned as Erza walked up with Rias, both women holding a singular pair of swimwear. Scarlet had selected a white bikini while Rias had stuck with red.

"What do you think of these, Natsu?" Rias asked, her eye cocking with a questioning look.

"Um…nice?"

"He obviously needs to see us wear them so he can judge properly" Scarlet stated, her voice stern as Grimory nodded in emphasis. Turning, both strutted toward some changing rooms as several of the other women did the same.

"_Did those two form a temporary alliance? By Igneel's flame, women are insane!"_ Looking toward the door, he contemplated escape once more as Kagura walked past with a purple and orange bikini in her hands. She nodded toward the helpless male… just as Normal face climbed onto the chair arm and stared at Dragneel with slowly blinking eyes.

"Are you here to help me escape?"

"Negative! Miss Erza asked me to attack you and restrain you if you tried to escape again!" Breathing heavily, the watermelon leaned closer as Natsu turned away nervously. It didn't help that he could feel the strange creature's breath on his neck…and low rasps.

"_EVEN THE WATERMELON IS HELPING THEM!"_

Sitting quietly for a few minutes, he could hear the light murmurs of womanly comments on their bodies and the removal of clothing before the first doors opened. It was obviously the two red heads, soft glares shooting at each other before they stepped forward.

If Natsu was a pervert like Issei, Gildarts, or Makarov, his jaw would've dropped. Luckily, he wasn't like that. Still…he was an adult male…and could _appreciate _the view before him.

Rias's suit matched her hair perfectly as the crimson locks flowed down her back. Slender legs of smooth skin raced upwards to the red bottoms that withheld certain parts from view. Trailing his view upward some more, the large breasts were barely restrained behind the bikini top as a high amount of cleavage graced his view.

Gulping, Natsu then looked at Erza. Her legs were toned…strengthened by constant running and sprinting in heavy armor as he eyed the white material covering her womanhood. Eyeing her stomach, Natsu felt a bit of pity and anger. A nasty scar graced her left abdominal, a wound from the locust as another mass of scar tissue marred the skin of her right shoulder.

But…these old wounds didn't seem to bother her as Erza leaned forward, giving Natsu a full view of her double D cleavage and a sly wink.

"So Natsu…which one is better?" Scarlet teased as she placed her left arm beneath her bust…and pushed them up slightly.

Blushing heavily, the male could only nod rapidly at the presence of these goddesses. Hearing another few door's open, Natsu was then treated to the sight of Asia, Akeno, Kagura, and Mira in equally revealing swimwear as they smiled coyly and with warmth.

He was in the company of true beauties…and there wasn't a single negative thing he could think of or say.

"I…I…I think…I think you all look great!" He barely managed to say with a trembling voice as Rias smiled at the fire mage. She knew how beautiful she looked to men…and Natsu was no exception. However, Natsu considered the fact that he could never, not in an eternity, choose between these women, knowing full well how dangerous answering these types of questions can be.

"Then I'll treat us to these new suits…even the…hussy as a sign of good faith." Rias glared lightly. But the bite of her rivalry had taken a blow. _"Those scars…look years old. I can't imagine the pain this woman has gone through. BUT! That doesn't mean she gets to seduce MY Natsu! He's mine! I will ensure that this…bimbo with large breasts and scarlet hair will not succeed! …I might have to sleep in Natsu's room tonight to ensure she doesn't try anything… lustful."_

"Rias? You have a weird look on your face. Is everything alright?" Asia asked in light concern as the devil waved it off.

"No no…everything's fine. Just thinking about what kind of food we will need. Now let's get changed back into our clothes so I can buy these suits and head to the grocery store."

"You better buy me some meat! A day at the beach isn't the same without meat!"

"And Fish! Lots of fish!" Happy cheered from the floor. Good thing the other customers and workers only saw a normal cat…and not some talking feline. Their poor minds would implode…never mind the fact they thought the watermelon was just some weird kid in a costume. I mean…a walking, talking watermelon would be the stuff of stories…not something hanging out in a swimsuit store.

"That won't be a problem." Rias smiled as her and the others took their next step to a sun filled day…

**Azazel's Laboratory… Five minutes after stealing Levy.**

"-SU!"

The transportation circle closed behind them as Levy finished her mid sentence rant. Gripping Azazel's arm, she twisted away as anger contorted her face. Eyeing the Fallen Angel several feet away, her glare was almost venomous.

"WHAT THE FUCK, YOU ASS! I WAS HAVING FUN! AND NORMALFACE WAS CHALLENGING ME TO DRINKING!"

Shrugging, the man spread his arms as computers hummed and apparatus sat silently in the large room. "Sorry…well, not really. I want to learn about all this dimensional travel. And your group only has three days to figure out what happened and why. So, let me ask you this. Would you rather be drinking on the school grounds…or working on a way back home?"

Scowling with a huff, Levy studied the large doors across the room as she crossed her arms while leaning against a table. "You're wasting your time. Yes, you gave me some info about a possible…I dunno? A Celestial god fucking with our lives? But you do know that I conducted weeks or research when we dropped off Natsumi on that one world?"

"Oh? And what did you learn?" Azazel inquired as the devil studied the female across from him.

"That the moment myself or my friends try to power up an I.V.D. we _absorb_ the quantum particles that are essential to forming a breech. Directly into our atomic structure I might add."

"Have you thought of any theories or ideas to cancel this force?"

Levy waved her hands, annoyance rising from her body language as she momentarily pinched her nose. "You're not getting it. To pull these quantum particles from our bodies…it would be like pulling all our blood out at once while replacing our cells simultaneously. The only thing that could really counter it…is dark matter from the event horizon of a black hole…which would kill us anyway. The only thing I can think of is to let it run its course and fade naturally" Turning her gaze toward the dimensional machine on the table near Azazel, she walked over and set a hand on the powered down device.

"Listen up Angel guy…uh…Azanya?"

"I'm the _Fallen_ Angel, Azazel."

"Close enough. I won't stop you from trying to research quantum fields and Baryon accelerators. Hell, I can help you build a Tachyon Focuser and Particle condenser for a handheld version if you want. But my main focus is trying to get that Natsu living on this world back home"

"I suspect Rias and the other girls won't like the prospect of Natsu leaving. They've grown quite fond of him."

"I'm sure they're all craving his cock in secret. But if he's like many other Natsu's in the multiverse, he wouldn't stay away. Hell, he'd probably become a dragon of two worlds like Natsumi…Ugh…you don't know the coordinates of his world do you?"

"Nor this one. Yes, we have overlapping dimensions for hell and heaven along with Earth, but traveling between them is still reserved to angels and devils"

"So useless Anvil-man!"

"I am not useless! And it's Azazel!"

"Well! At least I don't dress like a hobo! Now do you want to learn all this or not!?' Levy barked, her form already sitting at a computer as the machine powered up.

"You're such a bitch but I can't help but admire your temper." The old man smirked as he took station at another console across the table from the woman. Past the piece of technology was a fabricator… something only available to the forces of heaven and hell as human's were barely scratching the surface of that particular technology.

"Hey! I'm being super nice considering you interrupted my drinking! Grr…those lust-filled bimbos better not be throwing a beach party…think they're so great with superior height…" Muttering to herself, Levy scrolled across the screen to open the design program.

"I'm sure they are…and here you are stuck in a lab!"

Clenching her free hand like iron, her teeth clenched before she took a breath. _"Remember Levy…calm…go to your happy place…"_

"So, what will we work on first?" Azazel inquired as he cocked his eyebrow to the blunette.

"A Quantum signature scanner. It will be used on Natsu to start tracking his home universe. Unfortunately, since we don't know where he came from, it will have to be plugged into the I.V.D and…scan realities" Starting to design the first components, Levy started to hit keys on the board with rapidity. Sticking her tongue out the corner of her mouth, the woman delved into the work.

"How long will that take?" Azazel asked in curiosity after a couple of minutes, the woman already sending him files to start fabricating.

"To build in this lab? A few hours."

"No. I mean the scanning of realities"

"Couldn't tell ya. Think of it trying to call your house from a stranger's home…but you don't know your phone number, where you are, or where you live. Oh, and the possible versions of your home are infinite. It could be the first scanned world you try…or he could never return to his family after a hundred years of searching."

"That bad?"

"Yup…getting lost in the multiverse is no fucking joke. At least he landed on a better world than my own boyfriend did. You may be a…fallen angel, but at least you and the Gremory's gave him a home of sorts…much better than Sera. Now, let me fucking work and we'll piece it together. Who knows, maybe you'll learn something too."

Falling silent, the only sound from Levy's side was the soft clacking of keys and the humming of the fabricator as Azazel was deemed the 'part fetcher'.

**Three hours later…**

The varying components and bits of technology laying on the table sat silent as Azazel studied them with a critical eye.

"So…this is everything for your Quantum Scanner?"

Picking up a piece, Levy squinted under the burning lamps fixed to the ceiling. The miniscule fusion core would be enough to power the device as she set it down. Grasping the titanium handle, Levy cocked her head to Azazel.

"Yeah. Now the first step is to attach the power housing…like this." Clicking into place, the short woman demonstrated to Azazel the placement and purpose of each part as the scanning gun took form over the next few minutes. Snapping the small flash drive into the side, Levy switched it on as the barrel hummed with a soft, yellow glow.

"I have to admit…you made the design quite efficient."

"Well yeah, no duh, genius- I built a tank in my boyfriend's garage once. Used by the military now" Levy shrugged with barely a care as she turned to the fallen angel. "Now…take me to that sexy fire man so I can shoot him!"

"Ohhhh! Sounds interesting!" And with that, Azazel formed the transformation circle as blood red runes spun and swirled across the floor. Stepping into the center, he waited as Levy picked up the I.V.D and secured the scanner to her belt. Giving a quick nod, both disappeared in a flash of reddish light and left the laboratory in silence.

**At the beach…Approximately 3:00 p.m.**

* * *

Issei had finally caught up to the many women in his life…and Natsu at the private section of beach. Wearing his swim-trunks as warm sand shifted between his toes, all he could say was…heaven. With not only Rias and Akeno in their bikinis that showed off such beautiful curves, but Erza, Asia, and Kagura looked just as wonderous.

Unfortunately, Erza had established a 'no pervert' zone around herself and Kagura while the two lay on their stomach under a beach umbrella. Normal Face was standing guard by the females…protecting them from unwanted guests as a seagull sat on his green head.

They had removed their tops, getting the maximum sun to hit them on their lotion swathed bodies. Surprisingly, Rias was right next to Erza in a similar state as the teenage boy tried to leer. Taking his eyes off the tanning women for a moment, he saw Natsu nearby with Mira as he helped the white haired female set up drinks and snacks for their outing.

"_DAMN NATSU! WHY DO WOMEN THROW THEMSELVES AT HIM!?"_ Scowling, Issei went back to studying the bikini clad backside of Kagura…or Rias…or Asia… any one of those beauties would be fine by him.

"You didn't have to help Natsu. I'm fully capable of unpacking our food" Mira said with a hint of warmth as sunlight bore down on them all. Good thing they brought sunblock for the day. Last thing they needed was sunburns.

"I don't mind, Mira. I was glad to help. Plus…" He nervously looked back at Rias and Erza, the duo of red head's turning to stare at him. "Plus…If I leave your side…they'll make me wait hand and foot on them all! I want to have fun dammit!"

"Natsu…I need more sunblock…you can put it on my chest this time…" Erza said in a sultry, sing song voice as the male paled.

"Put it on yourself you…flat chested sow!" Rias barked at her new rival who stared back with even eyes.

"Your just jealous because he'll choose me over your old body! What are you, ninety!?"

"YOUR OLDER THAN ME! WORK ON YOUR MATH DUMMY!"

And thus…the two began bickering once more. Good thing their tops were still off…otherwise they would be standing up and fighting for all to see.

"Yeah…it's really weird. Usually that's how we interact. Oh well. Food and drinks are unpacked and ready for consumption! Now how about the two of us go for a swim?" Mira suggested…just as red runes spun across the sand.

"Is Levy back?" Kagura inquired as she lifted herself up and covered her ample chest with a free arm and hand. Good thing she didn't know about Issei and his camera at the time…she would punish him otherwise.

Stepping out of the spinning runes as the light faded, Levy smiled as Natsu stood a mere ten feet away.

"Levy! Your back!" Natsu said with a grin as he stood with his fists on his hips…and only his bathing suit.

Mcgarden stared for a moment…eyes traveling up and down his toned abs and broad chest. While the scars were missing…and he was a few inches shorter…he was still a sight to see for many of the women on the beach. Licking her lips…the scientist finally bit her tongue to stop the desire from getting worse. After all, she had a task to complete. Smiling with a slight hint of insanity, the woman nodded as she unclasped the scanner on her hip.

"Yup! I came to join your party…RIGHT AFTER THIS!" Snatching up the gun at her side, she pointed it at Natsu.

He stood shocked…fear in his eyes as the barrel started to glow yellowish orange like the sun. "WAIT! LEVY! LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS!"

"TOO LATE! SCANNING GUN!" the shorter female cried out with glee as a wave of light washed over the fire mage.

"AAAHHHH! IT BURNS!" Cried Happy, the little cat flying around as the strange gun scanned and beeped during its readout of Natsu.

"NO IT DOESN'T YOU BLUE FURBALL!" Levy shouted out as the scanning finished in a few moments.

"I…I'm alive? JUST WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT LEVY!?" the male barked in fury, a few embers of flame in his mouth as the woman shrugged.

"Scanning device. It can help you get home" she explained normally before popping the flash drive from the side of the gun and putting it in a small port of the I.V.D. Turning to Azazel, she gave a nod. "Power this up…in hell. Not even the same plane of existence where the four of us are located. Hopefully that will prevent us from absorbing more of that quantum particle shit. Or…just wait a few days. The point is, I'm gonna enjoy this fun in the sun!" Stripping off her top and pants, Levy stood in her blue lingerie as the sun shone off her body. And despite the light scars littering her form…the C-cup breasts were a sight to behold as Natsu turned away with a light blush.

"Levy…your wearing something…lacey. And why the hell did you shoot me?"

"YEAH! YOUR BEING A PERVERT LIKE ERZA!" the cat shouted while holding a fish.

"One…it's basically like a swimsuit. And two…" Pondering cutely, she was distinctly aware of Natsu sneaking a peek at her luscious mounds. "IT WAS FUN! Now come on! We have a few days left before we probably get thrown into the horrors of some…I dunno!? Spaceship full of necromorphs or something! LET'S SWIM!" Running to the beach, she shouted toward Normal Face still standing guard near the other girls.

"Come on N.F!"

"Affirmative! Fun mode activated!" Grabbing a nearby innertube, the watermelon slid it half-way down his body before running to the water line with his arms held high. Needless to say…it was an odd sight as the creature began bobbing and sinking on the waves with a monotone look.

"Well, swimming will be fun! Can't sunbathe all day" Asia smiled warmly as Erza and Rias stood up and refastened their tops….then swooped onto Natsu as their large breasts bounced and heaved in the sunlight.

"COME NATSU! YOU CAN SWIM WITH ME!"

Both glared…then promptly dragged the man into the water for enjoyment as Mira barely stifled a giggle.

"MIRA! HELP…Glrrghhh!"

Shaking her head, the demon walked into the surf with Akeno. Feeling the pleasant water crash around her thighs, Mira felt the summer day pour down on her from an azure sky of puffy clouds.

"So much better than yesterday…a wonderful day…" Turning to Akeno, Mira's fingertips brushed the water as the watermelon bobbed by with his floating tube.

"FUN! I am swimming!"

"You're just floating!" Happy pointed as he sat on Asia's head…prompting the girl to laugh at the strange melon and his level tone.

"Akeno…"

"Yes Mira?"

"Promise me you'll protect this world. It's truly beautiful…just like mine once was. So make sure to get strong. You, Natsu…all your friends. And make sure to help him get home. There are people that love him…don't make them suffer. And…" Leaning closer, Mira whispered into the buxom woman's ear. "When he gets home…you better make sure his own Mira becomes part of the harem with you as co-queen!"

Blushing lightly, Akeno nodded before the two waded into the water and joined their friends for a fun day of swimming, sunshine and laughter…

* * *

**Evening Time: Sunset at 6:00pm**

After spending hours in the sun on the beach, the group unanimously voted on heading back to the Hyoudou residence. During that discussion, the fairy tail girls put up quite the fight in resisting Rias' plan. She urged the group to spend the rest of their time here in this universe residing in their club building, right where they were supposed to stay from the beginning, but unexpectedly, Natsu was the one who interjected and supported them staying with him, which utterly broke Rias' heart but she would never let that show.

So, she reluctantly made sure the visiting females would have a room and beds of their own, _away_ from Natsu. Although he didn't really seem to care if they slept with him, he did feel worried if they tried to _sleep_ with him, so he made them- Levy especially- submit to Rias' second and final plan. Kagura, unlike the rest, was completely fine with whatever. As they made their way back home with Erza forcing Issei and Natsu to carry all the baggage, Issei told the group that he would be getting home late as he wanted to go check on Gasper. With all the crazy happenings that the group has had to deal with, they completely forgot about the little shut-in.

Rias concurred with his statement and sent him off to meet with the second bishop, however, he was gladly accompanied by Asia who wanted to check in on him too. Permitting their leave, Rias watched them walk off as Natsu was now the one burdened to carry the leftover gear and half-emptied beer bottles. Xenovia sent them a farewell as the main group continued their way home.

Once they exited the public bus, getting elongated stares from multiple people who questioned why one male and multiple females-all half-naked I should add- were walking together, Xenovia and Mira offered their help toward Natsu as they realized, the big bundle of supplies that was now Natsu would not fit through the door, so they split the gear in order to bring them in all in one go.

With almost everyone now inside along with their supplies, now came the unpacking, getting cleaned, and getting settled. But with those new tasks in mind, Natsu was met with another dilemma: how exactly was he supposed to get clean? Obviously, he knew bathing was the way a person cleans themselves, but the issue wasn't with the shower, but the people who _also_ needed it- specially the two red-heads that've been on his back like flex-tape on a boat.

Now with everyone inside unpacking their belongings, Natsu ditched his own hoping to his dragon ancestors that someone had the heart to put it away for him and prayed no one found him rushing away. And that meant it was time to go stealth into ninja mode.

He wrapped his scarf around his face and dove into his room while simultaneously grabbing the towel that hung by the door. Then, after scouring for fresh clothing he headed for the showers down the hall with no one downstairs any wiser.

"Hey, where'd Natsu go?" Akeno asked abruptly, ceasing the current conversation. The girls stopped their movement and shifted around silently. No one knew where he went.

"Huh, how did we lose Natsu? Actually, how _can_ you lose a Natsu?" Levy stressed, completely puzzled by her own question. There was no doubt that Natsu was a frenzic guy with a tendency to cause trouble when there's no need. So, that begs another question: when has he ever been quiet? _'Well, usually when he's about to get into trouble._' Levy answered her own question, looking around to find any clues.

That's when they all heard the house pipes creak with the sound of rushing water running over their heads. '_That's what it is! He doesn't want us to shower with him! Sly bastard..._'

This time, it was only Erza and Levy who overreacted toward the so-called 'act of treason' for Mira was beginning to understand this Natsu's reason for not being able to handle them. Though she still wanted to have him very badly, she respected his will and commitment toward them. And during this time as well, it was Kagura who had to calm them with reason. Rias, after finding out what Natsu was up to, was proud that he thought things through, although sad to think that he never considered inviting her.

Fortunately for him, the almost obsessive girls were persuaded not to intervene with his shower and they even conformed to unpacking his clothing back upstairs, just how he planned. Natsu got out the steaming shower and walked into his room where accusative eyes stood there waiting by his bed. As he opened the door, he paused half way through when he recognized those familiar scents rushing through his nose and made an easy and quick decision: he shut the door and walked away, not bothering to attempt to find new clothes; he could always sleep with this towel on. Alas, this time he could not get what he wanted as Erza saw the door get shut and immediately rushed to open it back up and tug on the closest arm in the hall that just so happened to be Natsu's.

Being dragged against his will, Natsu let the events unfold in front of him, not even bothering to fight. He was tired, and exhausted because he already had to deal with their antics for almost 8 hours straight. Now was the time to sleep, and probably never wake up. '_Yeah, that sounds nice._' Natsu thought to himself.

Levy, who was in the room only to yell at him, butted into Erza's strange speech about commitment that was very hypocritical in all points of her argument, stating, "You shouldn't sneak off like that- you belong to me!" or "We're a team, so that means you're supposed to take care of _me_!" and other selfish ramblings. And now it was Levy's turn to go at it.

Rias, who was in the room to stop any behavior she deemed inappropriate watched with growing discontent as the two Fairy Tail women continued to berate her peerage member. Unironically, she also wanted to give Natsu a piece of her mind about "sneaking off", but then she realized she would stoop so low as to copy that Erza girl. There was no way in Hell she would let that happen, so she sat on his bed waiting for his verbal punishment to be over. She did dislike Natsu's previous actions, but she hated being compared so often with lieutenant red-head even more.

This back and forth went on for so long switching between Erza and Levy that Natsu started sleeping on the floor he was sitting on, with both girls not catching on until Rias stopped their yelling and made them face a head-bobbing-eyes-drifting-shoulder-slumped Natsu on the ground. Quickly, and I mean very fast, they slid on the ground on either side of the now unconscious man and snuggled against his sleeping frame like hugging a giant stuffed bear for Christmas.

"If it wasn't Natsu, I wouldn't say otherwise… but he's so cute!" Levy squealed,

"Hmm, I whole-heartedly agree. You should make realistic Natsu plushies for everyone in our harem." Erza added.

Rias gasped in jealousy and anger while she pushed them off of Natsu and lifted him over her shoulder. With a large blush as he was basically naked, she walked him over to his bed and laid him down without changing. He mumbled incoherent thoughts from his mouth while his breath crawled over and around her neck causing her to tremble slightly at some points in her small walk. Levy and Erza watched as she lifted his legs over the mattress to lay him correctly and tuck the pillows under his head comfortably.

That's when a loud click was heard coming from downstairs and the squeaking door frame making its famous appearance in their ears. Obviously, that signaled that Issei and Asia were back from the school and finished the check up on Gasper. Uneasy about physically changing him into a nightgown, she felt obligated to check on her returning peerage members while asking the Fairy tail ladies to do that job for her, knowing fully well how accustomed they were to him skinship-wise.

Yes, she has slept on the same bed as him, naked even, but that's only because she was very comfortable in her own body, having no shame in showing others what she possessed, however, the opposite wasn't true when it came to seeing others in their bareback form.

Rias walked out the door with them easily complying to her demands while she went off to talk to her other family members. Sighing from fatigue, she steadily walked down the hallway with an ominous thought coming to mind.

'_This is nowhere near as easy as I initially thought._'

* * *

**The next morning: Hyoudou residence, Kitchen**

As with most coalitions, food has always been the easiest and most accepted way to congregate many people of different backgrounds despite their present sentiment. Food is the great unifier for all races, and what better way to eat it than together.

That's what Asia thought, at least while she served the breakfast she helped make that morning. The people doing the actual cooking were Mira and Rias as Asia currently couldn't cook at an adapt level to properly serve it as human sustenance. Natsu also vouched for Mira's culinary skills for he was sure that almost every version of Mira could make a mean meal, and although she didn't need his support, Mira greatly appreciated his faith in her because she was, in fact, a great cook as he explained.

The breakfast was ready and being served as Natsu sat next to Levy on his right and Issei to his left. Issei sat, almost disgusted, at the scene playing out before him. He had already known and got used to Natsu's excessive and barbaric way of devouring food between the months that he's known him, but to watch the little blue-haired psycho nearly keeping up with him for the majority of breakfast was scary nonetheless. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered where and how the food gets digested in that small body of hers, but eventually he concluded, in order for her to consume multiple liters of alcoholic liquids almost equal to her body weight, the same logic had to apply for food too, right?

During the morning meal, even Rias and Erza seemed to be calmer compared to yesterday, sitting across from each other without one hidden glare or bad look coming from either of them from what Natsu observed. The small talk going on was enjoyable yet without the accompanied yelling or screaming coming from the Fairy Tail group, but of course, a few arguments arose between members, like Xenovia and Kagura who fought over which sword style was better suited to take out multiple enemies or between Issei and Levy about the actual useful of a sentient watermelon, which in reality, everyone was questioning as well.

Levy lost that argument by sheer majority rules.

"It's okay Master, they will all know true pain once I'm done with them." NF reconciled with his creator while Levy pouted and responded with, "Leave it. They're just ignorant is all."

This type of back and forth went on for a bit until Happy interjected with a quick but very important question, "What're we gonna do today before you leave?" That simple inquiry caused the table to become quiet. Reality really went up to their faces and gave them all a hard slap on the cheek, but he was right, what were they going to do?

The Fairy Tail women sat quietly and looked back and forth between their members, a general look of understanding overcoming the present atmosphere. The rest watched anxiously to hear their answer, not quite prepared to see them go back to the horrible death ridden life they've solemnly gotten used to.

However, their answer was like none they ever thought, "It looks like it's been decided," Erza stood up and pushed her chair away staring down at her empty plate with a serious tone emanating from her voice, "We want to have fun."

"What?" Natsu tilted his head to the side as the rest followed him.

"What?" Rias' peerage members unknowingly shifted to the side due to utter bewilderment and confusion.

What kind of decision was that?

Eventually, Erza and her team explained exactly what they meant. Because of their limited time here in this universe, they just wanted to enjoy their last moments living a carefree life before they get thrown into another more dangerous and less forgiving environment. And since they all went to the beach yesterday, now they wanted to tour the city for all the amusements it could provide.

Levy, despite her joining in on the carefree 'holiday' was still slightly worried about that device she gave to Azazel. If it didn't arrive today, she won't have enough time to explain to Natsu what it could do for him. Even with the Fallen Angel's help with the limited time given they couldn't do anything to help her and her friends' problem with the random teleportation, but Levy thought that if she couldn't help herself she could at the very least help the person she loved- or rather another version of the person she loved.

So as Levy thought about her now charging device, the rest looked toward Issei, Rias and Akeno to lead them with the knowledge they've accumulated throughout their years living in the city. Issei, being given this all-so-important task, became slightly bloated concerning his ego as he started taking charge of selecting the multiple destinations planned for that day. Rias and Akeno just sat back and watched him picking his favorite hangout sites as he earnestly asked them their opinions. Honestly, the places he picked were well thought out, consisting of an arcade, laser tag, window shopping, and multiple small restaurants that he and Natsu in particular took interest in.

"Not necessarily in that order," He added.

After the destinations were chosen and shared, everyone packed up to leave for the day. Rias even called Kiba and Koneko to join on the excursion. Although Koneko declined, Kiba happily accepted and went on his way to meet them at their first stop: the arcade.

Overall, Issei's plan was very organized. Since the first place they were going to was the arcade which was strategically placed close to the supercomplex, they could go shopping right after. Then, they'll ride the bus to go "Lazer Tag" and finally walk down the local market street of vendors and small restaurants. In short, it was going to be a fantastic day.

They left the house leaving both Happy and Normal Face behind due to their odd placement in ordinary society. Heading off on their first quest, they decided to walk to the destination and explore the small downtown city. Walking past the neighborhoods and transitioning into the urban area was no development as there was a stark contrast between the two areas almost nothing separating the ends of the residential houses and beginning of the tall building besides a couple of street blocks and a highway.

The Fairy Tail group thought about the convenience of how Issei's highschool was located within a mile or two of his own house. Once they made it to the large concrete container of bulky electronics, the fun had finally begun.

In reality their time at the arcade was long but conceptually it flew by like standing stagnant near a zooming train. Automatically- after registering first- Natsu and Issei shot toward the two person shooter game with the plastic guns and a widescreen. Ever since Natsu first experienced a video game and promptly was taught by Issei how to play, the two made for an unusually good team in multiplayer shooting games on the Hyoudou's own Xbox, playing games like Destiny and Halo. Now they translated their hours of virtual experience into this arcade game, gaining a score in the top leaderboards once they exhausted all of their lives.

While Rias waited to escort Kiba and Akeno went with Asia and Xenovia someplace else, Erza, Mira, Levy and Kagura went along with the two boys to see them play- also because they don't know any games to play here. Luckily for them, they quickly took interest in the first person shooter game as they watched them slaughter the virtual monsters with the differently equipped guns and grenades. Seeing as they seldomly got to play games on their own time, this was an opportunity they couldn't pass up.

Levy overheard them in their own corner and immediately got mad after making out the snarky remarks. Natsu was bragging about the new highscore on the game and talked about how that could be the only thing he could beat them at, and Issei agreed. That's when the challenge started.

She called out their comment and said if one of their teams beat their high score then Natsu and Issei had to buy them new clothes and food once they got out of there. After explaining her bet to her teammates they agreed as well, wanting to cap on the easy opportunity to burn these boys and steal their money.

Just a friendly competition.

Needless to say, due to their lack of training and total hours put in, the girls did not win the bet, in fact, they couldn't even get close. Because it's limit is two people per game with only two guns and one screen, the girls tried every combination of players to make it work, but it just couldn't keep up with Natsu and Issei's skills. So, in the end they lost terribly and now had to pay for food and clothing for Natsu and Issei.

Unsettled by the results of the competition, Mira screamed, "You guys wouldn't have won if we could actually apply real battle tactics to this game- it's just mindlessly clicking and pointing!" and then she proposed, "Double or nothing- if we beat you two in lazer tag then we get everything you were about to eat and then some!"

"Fine, I never wanted new clothes anyway. This is all on food then," Natsu smiled grimly at the thought of a full belly.

"Imagine the looks on your faces when your vest starts flashing red. It seems to me you're choosing to forfeit your lieutenant status to me and Natsu here." Issei taunted crudely, his bad gamer manners coming out unknowingly. He fist-bumbed Natsu and the two accepted the bet with delicious food and equally valuable pride on the line for both groups.

In a little while, Kiba walked up to Issei and Natsu along with Rias as both of them felt the strange atmosphere corroding between the separate entities surrounding them.

'_I think I should've declined_.' Kiba exasperatedly thought.

Next they went to the super mall located just a few blocks away from the arcade while Asia and Xenovia held onto a stuffed animal won by Akeno at the Crane machine, impressing even the sober likeness of Kagura, and especially Natsu who's been wanting to get the elusive animal backpack for Happy after he failed several attempts to get it.

Entering the mall was like walking into a new climate zone. The cold air conditioner hit them first, then the bright advertising lights were next. They walked about the wide empty clearing in the middle of the ground level floor, deciding on which section of the mall they should explore first. Rias suggested going to the newly installed shop on the top third floor that she wanted to observe. Unanimously, the group took the slow and relaxing escalator straight to the top, planning on starting there and working their way down to each floor.

The shop Rias wanted to check out was a small but prestigious jewelry shop that opened about a month ago. The business chain was well known for exchanging high quality items for a low and respectable price, and although she could buy anything with the amount of money her family holds, she enjoyed going out like a regular human girl, buying things at somewhat regular prices.

They made it the top and searched for the mini store before Rias shot out, "It's here!"

Walking over to the bright white light coming from the shining sign that said 'Star Gems', Erza commented on the fancy, almost completely white, and stylishly clean store, gaping at the interior- from outside it looked confined and stuffy but it was apparently well spaced.

"Of course the "Princess" would want to come to a place like this."

"It's right up your stinking rich alley."

"Hey, enough! You all agreed to come." She shouted back, slightly embarrassed by their rudeness.

The time spent at the jewelry shop was short to say the least. Rias and Mira seemed to be the only ones interested by the shiny rocks placed on display. After hearing continuous whining from Natsu and Levy, the group dispersed from the shop and headed out to explore in similar groups from before. Though there was some mix matching between people, it stayed relatively the same. Natsu and Issei went out with Erza and Levy, accompanied by Xenovia while Rias strutted along with Mira, Kagura, Akeno, Kiba and Asia.

Despite being separated they converged many times to explore the same parts of the mall, often arguments sprung up in public against Rias' wishes. She didn't want to be a hypocrite by starting something with Erza so she's been controlling herself no matter how close she got to Natsu… sometimes a little too close for her comfort.

Eventually after sight-seeing and some slight splurging done by Rias herself- she made Issei and Natsu carry her items- they finally finished examining every last inch of the mall and headed down stairs after regrouping. Unfortunately, instead of leaving like normal people would, they got kicked out by security at the last minute because Levy threatened Issei with some nasty insults- most of them involving a certain watermelon exploding in his insides- after he commented on her lack of hand eye coordination referencing back to the bet they made only hours ago.

She screamed and fumed and started talking about the monsters she had to slaughter back in her universe but before she could go in detail Akeno shut her up with a small spell that sealed her lips. Erza began laughing like a lunatic and Mira joined in her joyful stature. That was right before they had to get kicked out by security.

"Good times," Mira sighed with a chuckle.

"Shut up already..." Kagura moaned while rubbing her temples, "We can't ever live normal, can we?"

"Onward!" Issei bellowed, pointing to the next locale. Natsu and Asia followed with bright smiles on while everyone looked at the time- it was a couple hours past noon, still plenty of time to do something stupid and memorable, as if getting kicked out a supermall doesn't check that off the list.

Even though the arcade and mall were close together by a couple of blocks, the laser tag place was much farther than normal walking distance's so they settled for public transportation once again. It only took a few minutes by bus to make and when they got off, the guests were not disappointed. Similar to the brightness of the jewelry store sign, this one was very close in brightness but absolutely trumped it in color disparity. It was as if a rainbow was leading them a pot of gold, and they were walking right into it.

"Heh. Ready to lose all your money?" Mira teased with joyful mirth as she pushed through the door, keeping it open for her friends while Natsu created a tight fist in challenge.

"You mean are you ready to buy us lots of food? Cause there is no way you'll beat us!"

"Hell yeah!" Issei agreed with a grin as the two fist bumped again. They could almost taste all the burgers and fries already.

Walking up to the store employee behind the front desk, Rias gently cupped her hands as she smiled toward the teenage boy across from her. He gulped, the crimson haired beauty not lost on him as he stared with an absent minded grin.

"Hello. We would like to rent an arena for an…hour? Yes, an hour will do"

"H…how many?" the male stuttered, his eyes trying not to stare at her ample chest as the woman leaned forward cutely.

"Ummm….eleven will be participating" Rias replied as the still partially stunned employee quickly rang up the charges. Paying with her card, Rias and the others were soon directed to a corner with the equipment hanging on simple racks.

"So, what should the team's be?" Akeno asked as she fitted the harness over her large chest. It was snug…pressing against her breasts while the woman picked up the laser pistol. Eyeing down the barrel while the others got ready, a small smile adorned her lips. _"This should be really fun!"_ Taking a quick glance at Erza and Rias, both women were equipping themselves…while glaring daggers at each other. _"…I really hope those two don't go overboard…"_

"Us four versus all of you! That's the only logical way! Four versus seven!" Levy cheered as Asia looked at her oddly.

"Isn't that…unfair to you four? I mean…we have Natsu and Issei?"

"It's fine. Plus, this crimson haired…hussy is going down in the first thirty seconds anyway. Hardly uneven numbers at all" Erza mocked with a knowing smile. Rias eye twitched at those words…

"Natsu…beat this woman and I'll give you a pass to eat anywhere in this city for a whole week"

"Are you sure Rias? This is just a friendly bet between frie-!" Her hand snapped up, indicating silence as the few man lightly sweated from the ominous aura.

Crackling lightning flew between the two redheads, the glare's heavy and deathly dangerous.

"You think you have a chance? I'll enjoy showering with Natsu tonight…and you won't get anything!"

"Bring it on you scarlet sow! I'll make sure he showers with me!"

The challenge had been issued…and poor Natsu. He had no idea what thoughts were racing through those two head's…but he was positive it was bad for his health. _"They're at it again!"_

"_**Group B. Please enter Arena C. The match will start after the bell. Please remember that if your shot, you must return to base and reset"**_

"Come on Rias. Let's get ready" Akeno urged as she pushed Rias through the door. The others quickly followed, their eyes adjusting to the low light.

It was a sizable room, decorated with ramps, plastic barrels for cover and a large score keeper up above that hung from the ceiling. Several surfaces were taped with florescent colors of orange, yellow and red to add to the atmosphere. There were two sides for opposing teams, red and blue with a tiny base that could be captured for heavy points. The four travelers went to the red side, fading into the darkness as Mira and Levy gave pre-emptive high fives.

Swirling smoke drifted around Asia's feet, the shorter blonde woman knowing she probably wouldn't last long. After all…they were up against actual soldiers that fought in battle. Taking a position near Natsu in their corner base, the young man gave her a big grin.

"Don't worry Asia! We'll beat them so much I'll even get you some lunch!"

"Heh…until this battle ends, Erza will receive no mercy from me" Rias promised, her hands already clutching the laser gun as her irises brimmed with fire.

"Did she forget what kind of things those women have fought…?" Xenovia lightly pondered, a delicate finger brushing her lower lip in thought.

"It's pointless now…just try to have fun" Akeno said with a hint of craziness. This would be the perfect time to show which women were superior.

For some reason…Natsu, Issei and Kiba felt a slipping dread grip their hearts just before the bell rang.

'_**RING!'**_

"GET THAT SCARLET WITCH!" Rias yelled before charging away from her base like a mad woman.

"Rias! Wait!" Akeno yelled…but was completely ignored by her friend as Natsu slinked away. Rias had lost her mind again…and he wouldn't be caught in the crossfire of her and Erza.

"_Stealthy…like a ninja!"_

Pressing his back to a tower of barrel's, the fire dragon kept his gun close while more smoke billowed down. Face serious, he swung around the corner and ran to a ramp that would lead higher above the battlefield. A light glance over the side revealed Issei moving with Kiba, the two other men sweeping through the center with caution. Seeing his team-mates still unscathed, Natsu moved down the elevated walkway toward a tiny fort of drums. It was defensible…a great strongpoint if he had to guess.

"If I was them…that's where I'd be…" Natsu reasoned, his voice a light whisper while he stepped lightly. Running softly, he felt the chest piece bounce against his shirt as a grin grew. That food would be his!

"GOTCHA!" He shouted, the man jumping around the corner and pointing…into the empty fortress.

"Wha…I was sure one of them would be here…?"

"Heh…you were half right, Natsu"

The man turned slowly…ice in his veins as Mira emerged from the shadows behind a small cluster of drums he had missed.

"Mira…the bet was uh…all in good fu—"

A light pulse erupted from her laser pistol, the harmless beam striking his chest plate as blues lit up and flashed.

"AHHHH! YOU GOT ME!" the male cried overdramatically as the first point went on the scoreboard to the red team.

"Your money buying me stuff…will be sooooo good" Mira teased before running off, her footsteps fading as the sounds of his friends resounded in the room. Sighing at his loss, the dragonslayer started to trudge back to his base to reset…and silently hoped that the others wouldn't go overboard with this.

Rias moved swiftly, ducking behind some barrels as smoke filled the room. Gripping the gun in tight hands, she felt herself tense up as shouting emerged from the left….along with mad laughter.

"_HAH! TAKE THAT YOU PERVERT! YOU JUST GOT KILLED BY MCGARDEN!"_

"_NOOOO! I DIDN'T GET TO SHOOT ANYBODY!"_

Pulses of light followed…then more wails of disappointment as Rias glanced up at the scoreboard….and nearly choked.

**Red Team-4 Blue Team-0**

"How are they so far ahead already!?"

"Because…we're at home in this type of environment"

Rias didn't bother looking. She vaulted the barrels, barely avoiding the blast from Erza as her rival cursed out loud. Running toward a column, Rias simply blind-fired around the rounded corner in the hopes of hitting the Scarlet bitch.

"You whore! Did you wipe out my team!?"

Erza had taken Rias's old position, ducked down as the female fired frantically. She raised her pistol, firing over the lip as light flashes of blue and red sundered the smoke filled air.

"How am I the whore when you haven't even slept with Natsu like me!? Stupid crimson hussy!" Erza shot back as she moved, sprinting to another cluster of drums. Rias saw her, the woman aiming and firing…but missing as the Gear ducked into safety by the narrowest of margins.

"STUPID! THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!?" Firing again, Rias tired to buy time for her team to reset and come back out to assist her. The woman heard movement…the light thud of footsteps from her left as she quickly turned…and found Kagura getting the drop on her.

"Yeah…you guys aren't that good in a gun battle…" The black haired woman said evenly as Rias seemed to weather in depression. A small chuckle resounded from behind….and then a pulse of light as Erza fired into her back without mercy.

Her chest-piece blinked and flashed blue, indicating she was 'dead' for a minute until the system let her reset. "I've…been defeated…" Rias murmured, her body sinking to her knees as shock overcame her system. Looking up at the ceiling covered in fake pipes and ductwork, Rias clutched her head in anguish.

"Is this the last of the Gremory House!? To be bested by a Scarlet haired skank with cow tits!? Why…WHY MUST I FALL IN BATTLE!?"

"You big titted bimbo! It's laser tag!" Erza shouted…just as a pulse of light slammed into her own chest piece.

"I GOT YOU THIS TIME ERZA!" Natsu grinned as he came out firing, the man hitting both Erza and Kagura as he racked up the first points for his team.

"Grr….You will pay for this…Rias!" Erza promised with a clenched fist as she retreated to reset…

And so the battle went for the next hour, both teams vying for position as they fought and fired among the tangle of ramps, barrels, and narrow pathways. And it goes without saying that Rias and Erza fought the most, both women 'killing' each other numerous times. But…by the time the session ended, it was abundantly clear which team had emerged victorious.

**Red Team-37 Blue Team-18**

"My money…I won't have anything left…" Natsu whimpered with Issei as the two stepped out of the building into the bright sunlight.

"Awe…I'm going to make you buy me something expensive" Mira smirked like a demon as the two men seemed to cry like crocodiles.

"TIME FOR FOOOD! LOT'S OF FREE FOOD!" Levy fist pumped, her smile infectious as Akeno pointed down the sidewalk toward a nearby restaurant. Some passing men stared at her…then glared at the few men accompanied by such beautiful women. Luckily, the group ignored the mutterings and jealous remarks as the adults started to walk down the sun drenched side-walk.

"They have some good meals for decent prices. And wonderful shakes"

"That's good enough for me" Kagura smiled warmly. Truth be told, she had a fun time playing laser tag…mostly because it didn't have the risk of the real thing. Taking a sidelong glance to Erza and Rias, both women were lightly arguing about who killed who the most. Honestly, it was a tie…but neither would accept that conclusion. No…there could only be one.

"Hmph! You think you bested me? I shot you at least fourteen times!"

"No way you tramp! I shot you fourteen times!"

And so they argued…all the way to the restaurant as Natsu cried for his lost wages in the immediate future…

True to her word, the restaurant did have affordable prices…not like it mattered to Mira and the others. No…they wanted to rub salt in the wound with their victory over the dragon slayer. Studying the menu with a demonic smirk, Mira was nodding fervently as they took up a large, L-shaped booth for their party. Wedged between Akeno and Erza, all thought it best that the two red haired rivals not sit anywhere close to each other.

"Hmmm….Oh, that looks pricey…" Levy muttered to herself while she peaked over the top of the menu at Issei and Natsu…both of whom had pale faces.

"Please…be gentle…" Issei asked softly, praying that the women would spare his wallet too much pain.

"What? But didn't you say…what was it…?" Erza thought cutely, her pointing finger resting against her bottom lip…before her smile faded into a knowing grin of punishment. "Oh yes…You said we would be forfeiting our lieutenant status to you and Natsu"

"_Me and my big mouth!"_

At that time, the server showed up, a warm smile on her face as the high schooler perked up. A large group meant a good tip…unless they were stingy. "Is everybody ready to order?"

"You bet! A full order of bbq boneless wings, a blueberry shake…and…some mozzarella sticks!" Levy grinned as Natsu almost choked.

"THAT'S LIKE TWENTY BUCKS ALREADY!?"

"Yeah…and the others haven't ordered yet" Levy replied, her eyes showing a hint of warmth at the male's suffering.

"I'll have a double bacon cheeseburger with onion rings…and a large pepsi…OH! And a chocolate sundae"

"Chicken Tenders with fries…and a mountain dew"

"A double bacon cheeseburger with fries, a large Dr. Pepper…and a slice of strawberry cheesecake" Folding the menu, Erza handed it to the server as Natsu looked inside his wallet.

"_My money…Is this how gramps felt when I broke things!?"_

"I'll never make a bet with women again…"

"Oh…just deal with it. You'll be fine" Akeno muttered before ordering her own meal.

"Akeno is right. You made the bet and lost….if only we hadn't lost by one point…" Rias said softly under breath after she placed her own order.

A scoff was heard…emanating from the witch across the table. "What? Got something to say…Scarlet?"

"You know damn well you lost the most. Just admit it and maybe you can be the last place woman for Natsu's future harem"

"Don't act like you have a say in it!" Rias shot back, her hair lightly standing up in anger as the two glared. Lightning erupted, jumping between their eyes…until Xenovia and Kagura intervened.

"Will you two calm down? We're in public. At least save the fighting for later?" Kagura scolded with a slap upside Erza's head. Muttering as she rubbed the spot, Erza huffed before leaning back in her seat.

Taking a quick look at Rias, Natsu saw her calming down with a huff. Crossing her arms beneath her bust, the woman decided to strike up a small conversation with Asia.

"_Phew…these two…are waaay too similar. And last thing I need is them deciding on who I date or not! Plus, a harem would just open up a whole can of problems! Gah! Why are women so insane!?"_

"Hey Natsu?"

Dispelled from his thoughts, the male looked at Levy as the woman leaned forward with a…non -crazy smile.

"Uh…yeah?"

"We should do a group photo after this! That way you can prove to your own guild that there is in fact a super amazing version of Levy!"

"That sounds fun. But why would you need to prove it to my guild…if I ever get back?"

"To light the fires in her heart for science! And to hopefully steer her away from spending time with that…uh…metal man? God…what's his name?" She pondered, eliciting a sigh from Mira.

"Your thinking of Gajeel. The guy who tends to be on your team in almost every version of Earthland we come across"

"So that's his name…I thought it was rust-bucket McMetal face…"

"I'll have to remember that. But sure, a big picture would be fun!" Natsu smiled with his signature grin that made women swoon. _"I just hope Erza and these other women don't try anything! Who knows what they're plotting!?"_

"I'll be right between Erza and Rias! A hottie sandwich…" Issei murmured with a perverted grin as both women shook their heads fervently side to side.

"No way"

"I'd rather be near Natsu"

And that was one of the few times both women agreed on an issue.

Slumping in his seat at the shut down, Issie was left alone to his depression as the food finally arrived.

"ALRIGHT! TIME TO EAT!" Levy practically shouted as the short woman started to dig in and consume.

"Levy! Control yourself!" Kagura scolded before she started to eat her own meal with gusto.

"But it's a free meal from the boys! What's not to like!" *Slurp*

"Don't remind me!" Natsu barked as the four travelers ate with a fervor…that was slightly disturbing.

"_Ugh…by the great satan…she eats like a pregnant sow!" _Rias cringed while watching Erza eat for a moment. But figuring her mouth was stuffed with burger, it wouldn't do to start another squabble while everybody was enjoying their lunch.

Natsu cried while opening his wallet, releasing the tiny moths as they all stood outside the restaurant. They had cleared out every cent…every dollar he had!

"I feel your pain…I have nothing left…" Issei cried lightly as both males shuddered at the loss of finances.

"Oh man! That meal paid for with Natsu and Issei's money was the best! I'm totally stuffed!" Mira gloated while patting her full stomach.

"Indeed. It was doubly delicious since it was free" Erza smiled as Levy let out a small belch.

"It wasn't free at all!" Natsu wailed. Feeling a light hand on his shoulder, the man found Rias smiling at him.

"Don't worry, I can pay for the photo booth. And the meal was enjoyable…despite our company…" Glaring lightly at Erza, Rias was now convinced she was a dirty slut cow.

"_The way she ate! It was like a ten dollar whore in a filthy alley! Disgusting, whore woman! Just you wait! Once you leave, Natsu will be mine!"_ Clutching her fist, Rias wasn't aware of the ominous aura around her as Natsu tried to escape her grasp…but failed as the female squeezed his shoulder.

"Rias? You okay?" Akeno asked her dear friend. Shaking her head, the devil smiled as she came out of her mindscape.

"Yes? Why?"

"You were making weird faces again. And we're about to head toward the photo hut down the road"

"I was not making weird faces. It was…the sun…and shadows"

"No…you were making ugly faces. Probably practicing for your porn videos as multiple men take you over and over. But…that's what I expect from a crimson haired skank" Erza shrugged simply before turning away.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"

Sticking out her tongue, Scarlet started to walk with the group as Rias glowered.

"HEY ERZA! The bus stop is only two blocks away! I'm sure you can find lots of customers in the men's bathroom while you're on your knees!"

"Oh…it's on now!" Both women got in each other's faces, glaring death and daggers as they started to shout increasingly vile and horrid insults. Mostly about their sexual practices and orientation.

"OH NO YOU TWO DON'T! WE'RE STILL HAVING FUN!" Mira and Akeno yelled as they both grabbed the bickering red-heads and started to drag them down the street…which didn't do anything to slow the flying insults as the large group headed toward the last activity of their outing…

* * *

**The Next Day…one hour before shift. Kuoh Academy**

The last twenty four hours had been a blast for most of the friends gathered. The photo hut had been lots of fun…despite Erza and Rias almost getting them kicked out for fighting and…sexual name calling around children. Luckily Akeno had saved the day…along with Levy who provided triple the rates for the pictures if the manager promised to leave the police out of it.

It made you wonder where she had the time or opportunity to earn money. But Natsu had a sinking suspicion it hadn't been legal…at all.

However, despite the…almost fight between the two red-head's that encompassed their sexual tastes to which one of them would claim the fire dragon for themselves…which Natsu tried to deny and break up vehemently, the pictures went well. Some were taken as a whole group, others with just two or three as Mira and Akeno shared some poses to great appeal. Of course, Levy insisted that Natsu posed with the four of them to quote in her words. _"Make your Levy super jealous and start the process of blunette lust"_

This didn't go over well with Erza and Mira who vied for his flanks…and tried to whisper suggestive things he could do to their doubles when he returned home. Needless to say, half his pictures with those four were him brighter than a tomato.

After their final one as a big group…with Rias and Erza practically squeezing the life out of said man in an effort to 'win' they decided to return home and watch some marvel action movies. Xenovia ordered pizza that night as they watched 'Iron Man' …which made Levy brag about how she could probably build such a suit if she wanted.

They ended up staying awake till almost two a.m. during the movie marathon…which resulted in Natsu falling asleep in the center couch.

He woke up with Erza and Rias pressed against him. And even in slumber, those two were throwing mumbled curses at each other as he tried to sneak away to shower.

The demons woke at that moment and only the timely intervention of Happy saved his life from their…womanly desires as he bolted to the bathroom.

After that whole fiasco of juggling who showered next and when, Asia served breakfast with Mira while Issei made sure the four to leave soon had pictures of their time here.

But…as the hours ticked by, the four travelers and their watermelon knew…it was growing short with each tick of the clock. They had re-equipped their armor and weapons, each sparkling clean. Erza had her digital re-quip device strapped to her left forearm while Levy had her quantum reader. Each woman had checked and rechecked their equipment, knowing that the next universe could be deadly. The last thing they needed was a gun jamming or forgotten ammunition in battle.

But now…now they were outside the school, talking idly with each other as the last hour passed…

"Grrr! Where is that homeless man! I have something important for that sexy dragon…that refused to even play with my breasts!" Levy ranted with a shout as she raised her fists to the darkening sky.

"YOUR STILL ON ABOUT THAT!?" Natsu roared, he distress palpable as several devil women glared his way.

"Miss Levy was quite serious about you giving her sexual satisfaction during her short vacation"

Happy heard this, his eyes going wider while his cat brain connected the dots. "Ohhh…so your saying is Natsu and Levy are gonna make babies?"

"That's right Happy! He'll have no choice in the matter!"

"Don't fill his head with your insane lies, Levy!" Natsu barked before sighing. _"These women…only Kagura is the normal one!"_

"He should be here soon. Does it have to do with that…strange gun you shot Natsu with at the beach?" Akeno asked simply. Receiving a nod, Levy was about to speak…just as a crimson gate of spinning runes erupted from the earth. Stepping through was none other than Azazel, the fallen angel holding a powered down I.V.D.

"Oh good. I didn't miss your send-off…huh? I suspected you would be drunk right now you midget"

"At least I don't smell like…a rotten cheesewheel!" Grabbing the device from Azazel, the scarred bluenette walked over to Natsu and his gathered friends. Pushing it into his open hands, the man looked confused.

"Uh…isn't this that dimension thingy?"

"Plus, the scanner device. It's powered down right now, but I want you to have it"

"Your…leaving this here?" Rias asked in surprise as she stepped near the dragon slayer and eyed the machine in his hands.

"Not like I need it right now with all that…absorption shit going on…or some celestial fucking god shitting on our lives" She finished with a pause and wave before pointing at the man. "Be fucking careful with that! Don't spill drinks on it. Don't over-load it! Don't dick around with it unless Az…Aziz is there to help!"

"Azazel"

"Whatever! The point is, this thing will continue to scan for your home Earthland until it finds a match due to your quantum signature. It won't confuse you with a different world or anything since each reality has its own… _'address'_ the mage air-quoted as she finished explaining.

"Wait…you mean…This will take Natsu home…away from all his friends?" _"Away from me?"_ Rias contemplated in her mind, the thought making her heart constrict at the possible loss of Natsu.

"I…we…can't lose Natsu…" Asia whispered, her face scrunching up in tears as the man lowered his head. Looking around at Rias…Akeno, Xenovia…all those gathered….even Issei, he knew what he had to do.

"I'm sorry Levy. I know your trying to help, but I can't leave…not with Acnologia threatening this world. He's still out there, and I can't let him go on a rampage of destruction. I would never forgive myself if I cut and ran home leaving him to destroy this world"

Mira sighed, pushing the bangs past her light scar as she shook her head in disbelief. Wearing her Gear armor once more, the woman groaned at the man.

"You idiot. The I.V.D. would let you come and go between your home Earthland and this world whenever you wanted. Hell, you could take your new friends here to meet Lucy, Cana, Gildarts, the old man…and all your other friends"

"Besides. If we knew you planned on being a coward and running without even trying to protect these new friends of yours, I'd cripple you" Kagura stated matter of factly as she lightly pulsed her magic.

"Oh…hehehe…uh…thanks?" Natsu replied…while rubbing the back of his head nervously. _"I take it back! Kagura is just as bad!"_

"WOW NATSU! I think Kagura wants to make babies with you too!" Happy cheered as he grinned with warmth and innocence. "I wonder how many fish I would get…?"

"HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT! I'M NOT EVEN INTERESTED YOU FURBALL!"

"AHHHH! NATSU! Kagura is shouting at me for no reason!" the panicking cat cried as he flew around and around in terror of the dark haired woman.

"It's your fault she shouted at you in the first place!"

"RIAS! HELP!" Flying toward the crimson haired devil, the blue cat nuzzled against her shoulder. Comforting the cat, she smiled in warmth. _"Natsu won't leave me…I don't think I could survive if he left forever…"_

The pleasant thoughts were interrupted however as Erza approached the male…and set a gloved hand on his shoulder. _"WHAT IS SHE DOING! DOES SHE PLAN TO KISS HIM BEFORE ME!?"_

"Natsu"

"Uh yeah…Erza?" the man asked warily. Knowing her…it could be something very perverted. Especially with all the times she's tried to seduce him the last few days…despite his adamant refusal.

"I would like a promise from you"

"Suuurreee?" he asked with extreme caution.

"_What is she planning?"_

Looking into his eyes, the knight tried to smile. "I want you to take care of your friends…even that…imitation red-head. But! Once you make it home after defeating Acnologia, you will seduce your Erza and make her queen of the harem!"

"YOU STARTED SO SERIOUSLY!"

"Now, there is a chance that Jellal might be an issue. You'll need to drive him away or kill him. She won't need that type of negativity in her life…especially after you two start dating"

"_She didn't even register the fact he spoke just now!"_ Everybody thought as Mira swarmed up and placed her hand on the other shoulder.

"Natsu…you better confess your love to my double! She will keep you happy, healthy…and very satisfied in the bedroom on your marriage night as you take her as your queen!" the white haired demon instructed as the on lookers could only feel…pity for Natsu. After all, several others were glaring heavily at the stuttering man.

"Excuse me Mira, but Natsu needs a strong woman at his side…like my double. Not…OH CRAP!" Erza clutched her head, sheer anguish and terror crossing her eyes.

"What!? Did you forget something at the house?" Akeno asked in a light panic. Knowing that only a few minutes remained, there was no time to collect anything forgotten.

"NO! What if…what if?" Erza paused, the female grasping the scarlet hair before pointing at Rias. "WHAT IF YOUR ERZA BECOMES BEST FRIENDS WITH RIAS!? AUUUUGHHH!"

"THAT'S WHY YOUR FREAKING OUT AT THIS POINT! THAT YOUR DOUBLE MIGHT BE FRIENDLY TOWARD ME!?"

"This is awful! Natsu! Promise me you'll screw Erza's brains out while Rias watches from the closest like a loser!"

"I'M NOT PROMISING THAT!" the man barked with angered fury. But it was quickly forgotten as the first particles of light started to waft upward from the four women. Oranges and blues…deep purples and yellows…it all flew outward as Levy picked up Normal-face. Clinging to her back, the woman gave a thumbs up to the gathered devils and friends.

"Thanks for dealing with us! It's been fun! And visit one thirty seven C when all this craziness ends!"

"Stay safe! And I hope to fight Dragneel someday!" Natsu cheered with a big grin. Happy had rejoined him, waving and lightly crying from his shoulder as the goodbye's flew.

"Good luck! I hope you make it home soon and win your war!" Akeno waved as Rias gave one final smirk at Erza…who was almost bathed in light at this point.

"Don't die, Scarlet"

"You too…Gremory"

"Natsu! Make sure to pound your Mir-!"

Strauss and the others disappeared in a flash, leaving the peerage to stand alone in the gathering night as Natsu clutched the I.V.D. Ignoring that last partial sentence, the male looked up at the velvet sky with worry.

"I really hope you can save your world…."

"Welp! I'll be taking that back!" Azazel clapped joyfully before ripping the dimensional device from the dragon's grip.

"Hey! I was gonna turn it on"

"…mmm….NOPE! I'll be monitoring this wonderful technology! Besides, you have bigger things to deal with" Azazel smirked before summoning a circle and stepping through.

"Huh? What is he talking…about?" Natsu trailed off as he turned…to the waving hair of Akeno and Rias. Their eyes were like satan himself…glowing red with death as both reached for him.

"If you think you'll be laying with Mira at any point…your mistaken" Akeno whispered while grabbing one of his arms.

"You've been tainted by that…Scarlet witch and all her lustful ideas. I'll have to deprogram you of her slutty morals!" Rias cried with anger while grabbing his other arm. Starting to drag the helpless man toward the Occult club, all Natsu could do was cry.

"Issei! Asia! Xenovia! HAPPY! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

"Nope"

"No way"

"Do you want me to anger the president?"

"Fish!"

"TRAITORS! THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU!" the male screamed one final time before he was dragged inside…with two furious women ready to beat…er…teach Natsu the merits of why he shouldn't sleep with any version of Mira or Erza…ever.

"_NOOOOOOOO!"_

**And this part two is done! I hope you all like it and leave positive reviews! But on a serious note, 03JTunice couldn't do much because of this damn virus and his college work at home. I understand and ended up writing most because of that. Bummed me out, but I get it. I just hope that he writes another chapter with Natsu and his friends visiting 137-C after I finish the war and all that. I think that would be fun!**

**But plus side! Because of how this played out, I managed to finish the next chapter after this! So by posting time, you readers can enjoy TWO FULL CHAPTERS ON THE SAME DAY!**

**Also, new poll will be up by now so make sure to vote!**

**So review! Read and Enjoy!**

**Rias: She might have been some…slut bitch, but I do hope she makes it hope to her Natsu…**_**so I can have this one to myself…**_

**Natsu: Why are you looking at me weird, Rias?**

**Akeno: She want's to fu—**

**Rias: NOTHING! NOTHING TO SEE HERE!**

**Erza: Heh…Natsu will bed my double first! Then Cana and Juvia! Then…LUCY! AND THEN!**

**Rias: YOU LEFT! GET OUT OF HERE AND STAY AWAY FROM MY NATSU YOU HARLOT!**

**This it thehappy and Tunice signing off!**


	12. Dead Space

**Hello everybody! I am back with another chapter for your hungry eyeholes! And the funny thing is I'll probably have this finished before the second part of DxD is done lol. But once this is posted, Unknown Legion will be writing a chapter or two with the ladies of Shifting so keep a lookout for that. Oh…and don't go being all critical of the map layout if you care. I tried searching online for proper game maps and I didn't find much…so, I'll have to improvise.**

**Anyway! more writing! And I still don't own any media.**

**Chapter 12: Dead Space**

**Universe 5557468399966-D**

* * *

The Ishimura drifted through the darkness of the void around the planet below with eerie silence. The ore extracted from the world was still gravity tethered to the ship, barely cracked open as multiple points of damage lay open to the vacuum of space. Passing into the sunlight of the distant star once more, the silent ship's hull seemed to swallow the starlight.

Inside the cargo linked to the mining hallway, a brief flash of light illuminated the darkness as four women and the living watermelon burst into existence. Stumbling lightly, the group regained their balance among mutters of annoyance.

"Damn…too bad we couldn't have stayed longer. I was hoping to convince that Natsu to claim his own Mira on his return home" Mira said in sorrowful regret…before her instincts flared. Snapping up her lancer, she peered down the sights at the shadow enshrouded room. The creaking of old metals groaned above, the stresses pushing themselves as their weight shifted.

"Levy…any idea where we are?" Erza asked softly. Switching on the flashlight attached to her lancer with a nimble flick of her thumb, the Gear revealed several crates of unknown supplies. Spare machine parts were stacked near a partially open door toward their front, a soft flickering of light emanating from beyond.

"Someplace far from Earthland…or any earth I'd guess" The woman uttered as she studied the readout strapped to her left wrist. The screen glowed blue…displaying the co-ordinates and a timer until the next shift. "About seven hours here…wherever the hell this is"

"The air…it doesn't smell fresh. Almost…mechanical?" Kagura observed with a wrinkle of her nose. Stepping toward the partially open door, she found the gap too narrow for herself.

"Your too big to fit through there" Normal face stated with an even voice as he too tried to fit through.

"Silence watermelon. Erza, help me with this" Kagura asked as she gripped the edge and started to pull. Scarlet did the same on the other side, straining muscles as both females grunted with exertion. The metal started to slide, groaning in damaged tracks as the two forced it open.

Slipping through, Scarlet swung left while Kagura swung right. The hallway was metal bulkheads and grating for the floor as obvious damage made itself known. Exposed wires sparked, arcing fifteen feet away from Erza as the electricity flared across the hallway. The air stank of ozone…and a tint of copper as the redhead lowered her weapon slightly. Nothing would cross that deadly surge…she was sure of it.

"Clear" Kagura sounded out as the others joined them. Her voice echoed down the gloomy hallway, an unnerving sound that made her feel on edge.

"Is it just me? Or does this place seem…off?" Mira asked while the deadly electricity continued to pop and dance down the hall.

"No…I'm getting that vibe too" Levy whispered lightly as she and her creation started to move toward the right. Her steps echoed…filling the air as the group moved cautiously toward the next corner.

"An elevator…" Kagura murmured, her voice barely a whisper at the closed doors before them beyond the turn. Pressing the 'Up' button, machinery started to whirr and hum in the distant bowls of…wherever they were.

The silence was un-nerving as the five waited for the lift. A small, haggard groan of ticking metal echoed from the ceiling, causing a few of the women to look up in curiosity. The crackling wall of arcing lightning down the distant hall continued to pop and hiss, stenching the air with continuous ozone as Kagura shifted.

"_This lift is taking forever…"_

It arrived moments later, the doors sliding open with little fanfare. The five entered, giving Mira the opportunity to hit _**'up'**_

The doors slid shut seconds later as ominous air was breathed.

"Did anybody try their magic? Because I can't use mine" Levy asked from the back, her normal attitude of madness subdued.

"I tried while waiting for this elevator. It appears to be another universe where our abilities are not capable of being used" Kagura informed her friends. The elevator started to slow before it hissed open and revealed another hallway of gloom and sterile air. Particles of dust hovered and shifted while Erza took point, her lancer pressed to her shoulder. Taking due caution as the group walked down the right-turning hallway, they soon rounded the mentioned corner.

There were two doors. The one on their right declared it as 'Security' while straight ahead another doorway had been almost torn off the hinges. Passing the light over the damage, Mira could feel ice crawling up her spine as she aimed her rifle downrange.

"Whatever did that…was pretty strong. Definitely not an explosion. That was strength"

Giving a low nod, Levy bobbed her head toward the security room. "Let's check it out. Maybe we can learn something" Her steps were soft, barely audible before she hit the door release. They slid open, giving the five entrance.

"I detect no life signs" N.F. informed evenly, his eyes narrowed as the women walked past. Empty food containers sat on a nearby table, decaying and forgotten as many of the consoles appeared to be without power. A few were smashed, their screens dark or cracked as Erza inspected the weapons locker in the corner. It was empty, the gun racks devoid of anything useful.

"There should be somebody here right? Just to co-ordinate efforts?" Mira inquired as Levy slowly nodded, her interest piqued by the center console. It still had power thankfully as the blue haired woman started to hit a few keys.

"Your right about that, Mira. No security force would leave their base of operations completely abandoned…especially long enough to let food rot" Hitting a few more keys, the woman felt the eyes of her comrades on her.

The console lit up, a silent alarm with red words flashing across the screen.

**Emergency: Tram Malfunction **

**Call Maintenance for assistance**

It repeated, flashing across the screen every thirty seconds before Levy stepped away with a scowl.

"That's all I can get. An emergency warning"

"Perhaps if this tram is repaired, we can get to a different area of this…building?" kagura guessed with a questioning tone.

"An excellent idea. I will take point with Erza since I can counter all threats!" Normal face informed the women as he abruptly turned and left the room.

"I still question why you ever made him, Levy" Scarlet lightly informed her friend as they started to follow him down the passageway toward the torn open doorway.

"Because I was massively drunk?" she responded lightly.

'_**CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!'**_

Heavy footfalls from above made the four halt, their weapons pointed in all directions as fear gripped their hearts. Yes…they were all brave. But that didn't mean they liked unknown entities stampeding around above them.

"I…really don't like the sound of that…" Kagura whispered. Peering down her sights at the ceiling, all she could really see was the heavy bulkheads and piping of unknown elements above.

"That's an understatement…." Levy replied back as she rapidly moved toward the broken door in a crouch. Ducking along the side, she peered into the next room.

Another hallway, stretching off before them into barely audible lighting as the watermelon stood in the middle of a T-intersection with his finger pointed toward the unknown.

"Miss Levy! I have found Tram Repair! It is down this short ha—"

A ceiling duct crashed to the floor behind the creature, clanging and echoing before…something dropped down.

It was…humanoid if one could say that. But any chance of peaceful existence was lost just by the sheer…_horror _emanating from this creature. Dressed in the tatters of a security guard uniform, the creature must have been a man at one point…but that was gone.

Its head was lowered, taking place were the sternum started and no longer supported by a neck of any kind. Heavily mutated muscles mad up its chest while pulsating intestines had grown into…short, stubby arms. They were sickly…red and gray as the tiny fingers wiggled.

But the most prominent thing…the object that stood out the most was the longer arms jutting out of the shoulders. It stood to reason they were the original arms, but the two bone like blades emerging from the necrotic hands just _felt _deadly as they ended in sharpened points….with dried blood on them.

"What…in the actual fuck?" Mira gasped at the vile creature thirty feet away. She had seen some fucked up things in her life…but this was something new.

It screamed a moment later, the dead eyes locked onto Normal face as he slowly turned.

"I see…a monster has gotten the drop on me"

'_**SLASH!'**_

The bone blade sliced through the air, cutting the small creature in half vertically like a knife through hardened butter. Falling to the left and right, the watermelon plopped uselessly. The slasher howled, then started to run toward the four women gathered at the broken doorway.

"YOU MONSTER! YOU KILLED MY WATERMELON…TEMPORARILY!" Levy shouted out as she fired a burst of gunfire into the center of the torso. Dead flesh was rendered, the head becoming a mass of useless muscle…but it came on without a care.

"The head isn't the weak point!" Erza shouted as she fired from the left, her bullets shattering the gloom as she tried to slow it's advance by concentrating on one of the legs. Munitions tore through the kneecap with sickly pops, severing the appendage. The monster fell forward…then used the bladed arms to continue its crawl toward the women.

'_**CLANNG!'**_

Kagura and Mira spun, their eyes wide as a wall vent behind them burst off the fixtures…and two more of these nightmares emerged. They howled…baying for blood as they ran past the security room.

"Crap! That's not good!" Mira shouted as she knelt and fired. Ignoring the head, her only goal was to slow them down as Kagura attacked the one on the left. Empty casings flew, clattering to the steel decking as the gravity mage sent a five round burst into the shoulder of her target.

It screamed…howled with rage and hatred while sprays of coagulated blood splattered against the nearby wall…but it had staggered, stunned by the blow as it tried to recover.

This observation was not lost on the mermaid mage as she quickly shifted…and shot off the second blade arm with another shattering burst of ammunition. The limb flew, thudding against the floor as the abomination howled once more…then fell to the floor in a fit of thrashing while blood flowed from the severed sockets. Soon it lay still, devoid of movement.

"THE LIMBS! SHOOT THE LIMBS!" Kagura hollered over the noise of screaming monsters as Mira's rifle chattered again.

"No shit! It's not like I didn't watch the whole thing!" Strauss snarled back as the slasher gained ground.

The monster had gotten close to the take over mage, swinging the scythe-like arm at her head with sickening speed. The woman ducked, rolling past the horror as it tried to grasp her with the tiny hands emerging from the abdomen.

Coming to a stance, Strauss revved up her lancer, the teeth spinning like a buzzing hive while her attacker spun…and she plunged it into the sweet spot at the shoulder.

"So nasty!" Mira gasped as decaying blood and gristle flew, some splattering against her Gear armor as more sprayed against the wall nearby. The horror screamed, trying to attack her…but to no avail as it came apart in an orgy of rendered flesh and viscera.

Gasping as she shut off the chainsaw, the woman wiped blood from her brow as she breathed heavily. The hallway was silent now, the creatures eliminated as three more lay at the feet of Levy and Erza.

"By the Cog…those things smell worse than the grubs" Mira stated with a tint of revulsion. Stepping over her kill, she made her way to the others.

"Well…now we know why there aren't any people around" Levy said simply, her boot nudging one of the slashers she had killed. Casting a glance toward Normal Face, the watermelon was already coming back together.

"Indeed. But we need to be extremely cautious from now on. These…creatures seem to use the ventilation system to move, so vigilance is in order. And until we come across any other people, we should assume this whole…base or world is like this"

"If we could find a window or map, maybe we could find a landmark?" Kagura suggested as Scarlet nodded.

"Agreed. We have several hours left here and information is needed. We can't just stumble around and hope for the best. Let's try to repair that 'Tram' and find some sort of command center" the woman finished as she started to make her way to the watermelon. He had healed, the creature standing up as he raised his hands.

"I AM HEALED! ALSO! MY HIDE IS NOW 0.5 % THICKER!"

"GREAT! Just a few hundred more deaths and you'll be able to jump off buildings…and survive!" Levy cheered as she high-fived the creature.

"Levy…focus. I know your fond of him, but he is not at risk of death from these…horrors. We are" Kagura reminded her crazy friend who nodded.

"Right! Let's go do machine stuff!" Heading forward down the right path of the intersection, the scientist had the doors open in moments.

It was a repair bay of sorts. Tools and machinery lay strewn about…along with dried blood and bits of gore laying near one of the consoles. A severed hand was clutching a lever, the fingers clamped and pale while the mentioned Tram hung above on a gurney system.

Frozen in place, the vehicle was pointed toward the beginning of a track as the console flared with alarms. Two more track systems emerged from the northern wall giving a grand total of three. One was dark and silent…the gloom sinister while the second held an obviously damaged transport. The size of a small shuttle, it could hold almost a dozen at once as lights flickered.

Stepping up, Levy pried the dead hand away before tossing it toward the corner as she studied the readout.

"I'm guessing whoever was here never got to finish the job…" Mira observed, her eyes darting to any possible opening or ducts as the scientist continued to work the console.

"Most people don't try to work with missing hands" Levy input as she reset the apparatus…and threw the lever. The left most vehicle surged on the automatic system, settling to the track before disappearing from view into the tunnel beyond.

A clattering of noise came from the center tunnel…a scraping of sound that put the women on edge.

"Fuck it…we're done here" Scarlet ordered as she moved toward the door. Leaving the room, they were missed by several of the monsters emerging from the tunnel as they searched for the life that had been present.

The five sprinted down the hallway, passing sealed doors that held no interest to any of them. Supply rooms and small workspaces were the bulk of them…and none would be worth checking. Finally reaching the end of the hallway, they found themselves on a small platform as the tram car sat ready for use.

A severed arm was resting on a bench, still and necrotic with no accompanying body. Erza felt a momentary pang of remorse for the victim, but she would not waste time or her life looking for somebody most likely dead…or one of those things running around. Hitting the door release, they slid open without a sound as the five climbed in.

Kagura walked up to the glowing panel near the front as her comrades took a seat, her brown eyes lit up by the soft, blue illumination.

"So…the only place available is the medical wing. There aren't even any other options for travel"

"Then I guess that's where we will be going. Hopefully there's a doctor or staff in charge to tell us what transpired here" Erza said with a tint of hope…but she knew better. Odds are, that would be one of the first places to fall to whatever abominations plague this world. Feeling the tram starting to move as Kagura sat down on an empty bench, the knight raced through her thoughts.

"_Are we underground in some base? A laboratory perhaps? Some biological testing area?"_ Shaking her head, the woman decided to rest until they arrived at their destination…

**Arrival at the Medical Center. Unknown time**

The doors slid open, revealing a nightmare on the waiting platform as Kagura and Erza stepped out. The sitting area nearby was stacked with filled body bags, the forms pressed against the glass as sprays of gore dried. A corpse sat on the bench…then slowly tilted and fell with a hollow thud as the four women spread out and illuminated the area. If they weren't used to such horrors already, some might have lost their lunch. But…they have done and seen too much to be stopped by a few mere corpses.

"I'm going to say it's safe to assume there won't be any doctors here…" Mira added, the flashlight illuminating a puddle of red near a vending machine on her left. Set near the only door, the woman wrinkled her nose at the stench of death rising from the bodies. Walking through the dried crimson, Mira joined the others as they prepared to enter the next room.

'_**Rumble'**_

The floor vibrated, shaking them all as the walls pitched for a moment before realigning.

"What the hell was that?" Levy asked, her voice curious as Kagura shrugged.

"An earthquake?"

"It doesn't matter. Nothing can be done about it anyway" Erza admitted before the woman passed through the doorway into the medical wing. It was the waiting room, presumably for lightly sick or injured patients as two hallways loomed in the horrific bloodbath of the area. The left-most hall directly across from them led toward the Emergency room and morgue while the second pathway would take them to 'Patient Recovery.' Set into the right wall of the room, the current area formed an odd L shape as the five froze in tense stances.

'_**Ngh…ungh'**_

Movement from behind the receptionist desk along with mild grunting had all five on guard as something rose up...something familiar.

"KILL THEM!" Levy hollered as the three slashers sprung up and climbed over the desk, their monstrous forms and bladed appendages dripping with death and gore. Opening fire, the shorter woman unleashed a thundering staccato of lead into the lead monster as the heavy rounds tore into the decaying flesh. One of the limbs was torn away, skating across the gore ridden floor as Levy finally dropped the first. Switching targets, she started to help Mira as the other female slowly backed up to give herself room. Casings clattered as bullets shred flesh, rending the first two Slashers dead as Erza and Kagura dealt with the third charging toward them.

It soon screamed in its death throes, the monster missing both legs as Erza got behind it and stepped on the exposed back. Pushing it to the metal floor, the red head revved up her lancer before plunging it into the exposed muscle of the horror. Gore and viscera sprayed from her action, the saw teeth shredding dead sinew and skin while it pattered against her shin guards.

"And that's how you kill monsters" She said with a light grin. Snapping her head toward the right, the knight could feel the vibrations…and the familiar fear as howls echoed down that distant hall.

More thudding and grunting came from the right most hallway, a heavy stomping of inhuman feet as the women and watermelon prepared to fight.

"I will slay them with my…my RAGE!" Normal face bellowed as he started to charge forward, intent on fighting the unseen creatures.

"YEAH! KILL THOSE FUCKS! ….WITH KILLING!" Levy screamed as she knelt and fired past the watermelon. 7.62 mm rounds erupted from the muzzle of her L.M.G, snapping down the southern hallway toward the presumable patient rooms as the horrors scrambled in the gloom.

"I count a dozen!" Mira yelled, her lancer flashlight illuminating the approaching abominations as dried blood glistened on their bladed arms…or along the torn flesh of their mutations. Their tiny stomach arms bobbed and weaved, the tiny fingers trying to grasp the copper tinted air.

"_Disgusting…"_ the demon cringed as she aimed and fired. No point in letting them swarm them all and chop them to bits. The hammer of the lancer felt at home as Mira aimed down the crosshairs…and severed the leg of the lead nightmare with a six round burst. It tore through the appendage, making the attacker collapse…then begin to drag itself forward as the faster brethren bypassed its suffering.

The tendril crept swiftly and lightly, drawn to the warm flesh of the living in the waiting room as it slithered. The living were fighting, a thundering of gunfire and shouting over the screams of the Slashers as the abominations tried to close and tear their flesh.

Emerging from the darkness , the sickly strand covered in yellow, pus-like bulbs neared the ankle of one of these humans.

"How…HOW MANY OF THESE CREATURES ARE THERE!?" Kagura called out as she deftly reloaded, the empty magazine being slipped into a pouch in one fluid motion. Ready to fire once more, she briefly watched as one of them got close to Erza…but the woman was ready as she used the lancer on her foe.

"WHO CARES! JUST KEEP KILLING THEM!" Scarlet screamed out as necrotic blood sprayed across her armor and breastplate. It stank…was a vile stench that made her eyes water as the undead mutant flailed and screamed. Falling away as it came apart, Erza kicked its form to the side as she stood near the reception desk and began to reload herself.

Something wrapped and Kagura's ankle…something cold and sinister as the woman's eyes went wide. Looking down in fear, all she could feel was horror…then it pulled.

"AAAUGHHH!" Kagura screamed in terror as her body hit the flooring. Breath leaving her lungs from the sudden drop, she felt herself being dragged over several pieces of severed body parts as the tentacle viciously pulled her into the E.R. hallway. Slamming her against the wall, the gravity mage knew something would bruise later as she found herself on her back moments later with pain wracking her body.

"KAGURA! HOLD ON!" Erza hollered in a light panic as she killed another of the scrambling necromorphs that were surging from the southern hallway. Turning, the knight got a small nod from Mira, Levy and the watermelon.

"GO! WE GOT THIS!" Levy informed with a shout as she fired another long burst, ripping one of the monsters in half as intestines spilled forward.

Heading toward the other hall, Erza was feeling fear…just like with the walkers several realities ago. _"Please…don't let my friend die"_ the Gear prayed as she sprinted down the hall with haste.

Lights flickered above, hiding the nightmarish sprays of gore along the walls as Kagura was flung again. Letting out a gasped cry, she finally managed to re-orient herself…just as she was dragged around a corner.

"Unghh!"

Grasping her lancer, the woman vowed to not die without of fight. Aiming over her stomach as she was continuously dragged on her back, the female saw the pus-like orbs embedded in the leathery flesh of her captor.

"_A weak point!"_

The rifle spat fire, snapping lead erupting from the barrel as the munitions burrowed into the closest sac. It ruptured like a zit from eight feet away, the yellowish-orange fluid bursting everywhere as some splattered along the darkened corridor.

Then the tendril lashed again, slamming her against the floor as it seemed to roil in pain. Pulling her further along the corridor past locked offices and rooms, the female felt a new surge of fear. The tentacle of whatever monster this was had come from a gaping hole in the floor…right in front of the emergency room doors. Copious amounts of dried blood and bits of gore were strewn around the aperture, the appearance slick and vile as the creature continued to pull her closer and closer.

Firing at the next yellowish bulb on the vine, stray brass clattered to the deck as it exploded…and some of it splattered on her armor. The smell made her want to puke. A vile concoction between burning garbage and rotten meat that had festered…it was awful.

"KAGURA!"

The voice of Erza echoed down the hall, making the woman feel hope.

"ERZA! HURRY!" the mermaid mage screamed as she fired again at the appendage, hoping to damage it enough to release her. Her weapon chattered, bullets stitching up and down the hide in the hopes of hitting the third bulb.

She missed in her panic…and was promptly dragged through the hole just as the scarlet knight rounded the corner with dread on her face.

"KAGURA!" Erza yelled, the woman sprinting toward the gaping ruin in the floor in a futile attempt to save her friend. Leaning over the edge, she shone her flashlight into the abyss…but found nothing except echoing screams.

"No…No dammit! I refuse to believe she is lost! I will find a way to save her!" the woman vowed as she frantically illuminated the hole below her. Particles of yellow spores floated among the opening, reflecting off her flashlight as the woman pursed her lips. Studying it some more, Scarlet knew time was of the essence. Brown eyes locking onto a ledge of some kind ten feet down, she knew it would be her start point.

Swallowing her fear, Erza holstered her lancer and turned, lowering herself over the lip as another yell rose from the depths. Fingers gripping the grating around the ruination, she slowly lowered herself as the blue lights of her Gear armor glowed in the darkness like a beacon

Something scuttled behind her, tiny feet and scratching sounds getting closer. Turning her head in a snap, the knights eyes grew wide at the demented creature crawling on the ceiling looked down at her with horribly dead eyes.

It had been an infant…a young life. But any semblance of the child's innocence had died with it as the monster continued to crawl along the ceiling. Moving past a flickering light, the true horror of the features came to illumination. Grayish-yellow skin with patches of rot were there…along with multiple appendages resembling that of an arachnid. The tips ended in sharpened blades like the slashers as spines on the back grew redder…and redder.

'_**Waaaaa…'**_

The cry was…was _wrong_. Nothing in her womanly senses could accept such a sound as it pointed the exposed back to her…and launched those deadly spines.

Erza was still stunned by its very existence. And this would cost her as two of those flying needles impacted the back of her armor plate.

"Guah!" The woman cried as the blows reminded her of small caliber gunfire. Erza's fingers slipped, momentarily stunned by the breath-taking blows she had just been dealt as the lurking baby formed fresh spines to attack her again.

Scarlet fell at that moment, her grip lost as she watched the infantile abomination crawl above the hole…and watch her fall into the darkness below…

"Holy crap…that was a lot of those Slasher's" Levy admitted, her bootheel crushing the head of the last one as it feebly struggled against her. Crunching with a light spray of cracking bone and rotten flesh, the shorter woman reloaded her L.M.G. as she, Mira and Normal-Face stood in the main patient recovery wing.

The attack had numbered close to two dozen of these horrors…the running and slashing baying from their rotten throats putting the two women on edge as the now stale air surrounded them.

"I know…but god…the smell here" Mira said simply as her eyes partially watered. She had thought the waiting room was bad…but this was just vile. Pieces of bodies from hands…legs and rotting chunks strewn across patient beds mixed in with splitting intestine…it was a horror show. Plus? the corpses of these monsters that they had fought against? Just added to the evil of this place.

Starting to look around the square room devoid of life, Mira felt a surge of worry for her two friends as she reloaded her weapon. Scrutinizing Levy studying some of the equipment in the room, Strauss finally had a hand free. Pressing two fingers to her ear, she activated the radio as her voice bounced off the dead walls.

"Erza? Did you reach Kagura?"

Silence. Nothing but static.

"Erza? Kagura?"

Still nothing.

"It is possible whatever grabbed Kagura attacked Miss Erza as well" N.F. stated as the simple melon picked up a plasma cutter from a pile of…someone. Aiming downrange, the creature quickly familiarized itself with the weapon as he test-fired a shot at one of the deceased monsters. Three pulses of blue light hissed out, cutting through it's remaining appendage with ease.

"Excellent. Now I don't have to bite my enemies…" the creation grinned with normalcy as Levy strode past with a grim look.

"If Erza is in trouble, then we got some big shit to deal with. Let's hurry" Levy waved on as they ran back down the hallway strewn with bodies.

"_Dammit! We got separated so fast cause of these fuckers. Stupid Levy, fucking stupid!"_

"That bitch better not have died. We still need to have our threesome with Natsu" Mira lightly ranted as they quickly moved down the other hallway past the waiting room. Eyeing the random casings strewn about the floor, they kept moving toward the first bend…then promptly came to a halt as they rounded the corner.

Thirty feet away past a few random offices was a gaping hole in the flooring. And around it…things that could only be described as dead infants with spider legs sticking out of their sides. The cones of illumination passed over them, highlighting the horror as the first turned toward them with milky white eyes.

'_**Waaaaa….'**_

"I know I'm fucking crazy…but that is some fucked up shit" Levy admitted as the four enemies started to walk and crawl toward them. Two started to climb up the walls, the bladed ends digging into the metalwork as it tore under their sharpness. They cried again, making the trio cringe at the reverberating sound coming down the hall.

Mira crouched to a knee at the corner, her rifle pointed toward the closest before she squeezed the trigger. The muzzle flashed, a cracking of gunfire erupting in the hallway as six rounds tore through the tiny corpse. Heavy bullets ruptured the infantile flesh, spilling ichor in a spray of gore.

"Normal Face! Take the one on the left! I got the ceiling!" Levy shouted as she aimed upward. Her target stopped…dangling from the ceiling as back spines grew redder.

"UNDERSTOOD!"

"The hell…?" Levy whispered as the other enemies scurried closer.

Spike like darts flew, hissing past her face by mere centimeters before embedding in the flooring like daggers. Cursing at how close they had been, Levy aimed and fired. Bullets tore the ceiling crawler apart, the body dropping to the ground like a tiny sac before bursting at the seams like a bag of maggots.

"No baby will shoot back spikes at the creator!" N.F. bellowed while aiming his newfound plasma cutter. Holding it steady as Mira shot the third one down from the ceiling, the watermelon fired. Three bolts of light surged from the weapon, the burning of ozone smelt by all as the discharge seared along the spine ridden back of the last infant…and severed the spikes in one blow.

It screamed…thrashing about as yellowish-black blood spurt from the wound while the bladed ends of the arachnid legs cut along the walls in a mad attack. Leaving torn trails, the women noted that those blades were no joke as the undead lurker finally stopped moving and lay still.

Looking past the bodies toward the hole, Mira hurried over as particles clung in the still air. Casting a wary eye to the E.R. doors that had been ripped open in the past, the demon crouched down near the gap. Looking in as she shined her torch downward, all she could see was darkness…nothing but stillness.

"Do you think they went down here Lev?"

"I hope not…there is no telling where it leads. And with all the shit crawling around…fuck" Standing back up, her eyes studied one of the dead infants she had killed. _"Seriously…what kind of place is this? No research lab would have babies…would it? Unless it's some…cloning nightmare?"_

"We should search the rest of the area. The others could've just got cut off and ran. Or their radios were damaged"

"Miss Levy…your making too much sense. Please remember to be insane periodically"

"Hey! This place is already fucking nuts. My mental state is balanced here because of it! …smart-ass melon…" Rubbing a hand through her blue locks, she just ignored the creature before raising her weapon and moving toward the ruined doorway.

"Still though…you do tend to get crazy at weird times…" Mira admitted as the trio passed the threshold into the operating room.

Any retort from the scientist was forgotten as they saw the state of their surroundings. In the center was a table, the surface covered with far too much blood as numerous pieces of unknown surgery equipment surrounded the slab. Nearby on the floor was a severed leg…surrounded by a dried puddle of crimson as they moved silently with wary footsteps.

More body parts lay everywhere…almost as if something had torn them apart. To their right was a doorway, the frosting of the window chilling the air while a pair of double doors sat straight ahead on the other side.

"Cryogenics…" Levy whispered as the scent of fear…death…coppery shit assaulted her nostrils. Moving toward the door, she peered in and only saw enclosed capsules. Hitting the door release, it slid open slowly as mist pooled around her feet.

"Find something? Because we still need to find the others" Mira inquired as she took up a guarding position at the entrance. Eyes casting among the gloom, her flashlight attachment wavered as it danced among the sinister claw marks that furrowed some far walls.

"Maybe…"

Stepping inside, Levy saw her breath flow out as icicles seemed to cover everything. Moving to the first stasis pod, she wiped away the frost on the small console.

"Specialist Adrian Chennick…nothing useful" Levy admitted as she moved down the line. The next four were empty while the fifth had another body. Technically still alive, the fifth was awaiting surgery…but would never get the chance now.

Scowling in disappointment, the woman turned and headed back to her friend. This room was basically storage for those with such severe injuries or diseases that normal operations would have to wait. But even if she revived them…they would die soon after. Cradling her baby, she gave a light nod to Mira as the group started to move across the room toward the presumable exit.

"I take it you found nothing?"

"Not really. Technology would be cool to study…but we don't have time for that" Levy replied as they stacked up on either side of the exit.

Pushing the button near her, they slid open with a light hiss as Mira led the way. Light punched into the darkness, mixing in with the nightmare of drying gore on the walls, floor…and even the ceiling.

The hallway loomed ahead, the lights flickering near the end fifty feet away while another entranceway on their left beckoned halfway down the corridor. Numerous gouges and hideous claw marks decorated the walls near this second doorway as it slowly opened and closed with echoing clangs of machinery. Walking cautiously with weapons raised, both women felt a small surge of dread.

"The morgue. Miss Levy. I believe this is where dead bodies are stored" N.F. stated in his normal monotone as the scientist shook her head.

"I'm well awa—"

"_**grung…grank…hiss…"**_

They froze, hands gripping weapons tighter as other echoes seemed to surround them from ventilation shafts running along the walls and ceilings.

"I will investigate, creator"

Walking toward the damaged door, the creature peered in…and was promptly grabbed by a clawed hand as the tips dug into his green scalp.

"I WILL DEFEAT YOU ABOM-!"

Pulled inside, only the sounds of squelching and watermelon screams greeted Mira and Levy as they both hurried to the sides of the door.

"Grenades! He'll reform anyway!" Mira shouted as she pulled one from her hip belt. Pulling the pin as more…watermelon butchery was heard, she tossed it through the door gap.

"No shit! That's why he's great for checking danger!" Levy shot back as she flung her own explosive.

The arm and clawed hand reached out again, swiping the air near Mira as the woman fell back while more clatters in the vents grew closer.

'_**BBOOOM!'**_

Shrapnel hissed, peppering the interior of the morgue with explosive force as Levy leaned in and fired at whatever inhabited the room.

It was big…a collection of multiple corpses working together as the armored plates covering the frontal body appeared indented from damage. One of the large limbs had been severed at the shoulder, leaking yellowish fluid that stank of pus…and other smells as it spun and screamed with either pain or fury…or both.

"That yellow sac! Destroy it!" Mira hollered as she leaned around the frame and fired a long burst. Speeding lead tore into the yellowed flesh, causing miniscule bursts to bloom outward as the stink rose. A stream of yellow pus flew toward them as the brute started to gag...then flung a ball of concentrated infection toward the two.

"Crap!"

Ducking back into cover, both women cringed as the ball of…disgusting material flew and hit the far wall…before starting to melt with the bubbling of acid. Not waiting for another attack, both females came out of cover once more and continued to fire through the morgue doorway.

Mira's barrel started to glow hot, the tinge of orange and red growing as she fired a full magazine into the abomination mere feet away. They sparked against the armored head…but as soon as it tried to summon another ball of bile to fling from its open throat of decay, that's where Mira aimed. Her eyes reflected back the staccato of gun flashes, casings flying away. Bullets tore into the center of the body as interior flesh was sundered, signifying the impending doom.

The left arm came free, courteous of Levy as yellowish blood flew to the grating below in a nightmarish arch of spray. Grunting and flinging itself among some table's meant for corpses, the brute finally died and lay still near the reforming body of Normal face.

"Just…just what the hell was that fucking thing?" Mira gasped with wide eyes as she slipped into the morgue. Keeping her rifle aimed at the large body, she could make out several different…corpses mixed into the torso. And silently prayed that the victims had already perished beforehand. A glance around told her this room was just as bad…maybe worse with the stink of death heavy in the air.

"Bad fucking news. I'd hate having to fight this thing in the open…or anywhere…hmmm? What's this?" Levy asked herself as something gave a soft glow from the exterior flesh. Reaching forward, her hand graced the clammy skin as slime and rot brushed her fingers.

Bangs and other approaching noises were growing louder…and fast. Grimacing as she retrieved the keycard, Levy wiped it against her pant leg just as Normal Face reformed. Picking up his plasma cutter, the melon looked around rapidly.

"I am detecting multiple points of movement in the air ducts surrounding us"

"Yeah…we should get the fuck outta this hospital" Mira whispered as she moved back in the hall…and the wall vent near the E.R. burst open. A slasher appeared…along with two of those crawling babies as numerous spines shrieked through the air.

"FUCK! MORE OF THEM!" Mira screamed out as she fired another burst. Severing the leftmost blade arm as it flew to the side, the woman covered Levy and the melon as they started to run.

"Mira! Shake your ass!" Levy shouted over her shoulder as another venting grate in the ceiling up ahead shook and buckled. Ducking low as a scythed arm punched through the metal, Levy cursed as Mira started to run from the undead monsters.

Spinning, the scientist flung another grenade among the knot of slashers and the crawling wall babies as their wails grit against her soul like rusting nails.

Those crawling…crying infants made her seriously question if she would ever bear children as the round explosive tinkled and bounced along the floor.

It exploded, tearing apart three slashers in a bloom of fire and flying shards of shrapnel while they kept running toward the illuminated end of the hallway. It appeared to be a light security checkpoint, but the most important thing was the vehicle sitting on the maglev tracks…with the doors open and beckoning.

"Another tram!" Mira pointed as she ran faster. The snarls and clattering of undead feet along with those flying spines worked their way into her mind…and dammit, she did not want to die from them.

Levy reached the transport first, stepping into the cabin as she turned in one fluid motion to fire.

"Damn…NECROMORPH'S!" she cried over her L.M.G. chattering and sending a fusillade of lead into their ranks. One fell…but unless she hit the bladed appendages, they just took too much ammunition to fully drop. And with close to a dozen on their asses…they needed to regroup.

Mira clambered on with N.F. the door hissing shut in just moments as the first necromorph tried to break the glass. They piled against the platform…beating against the metal like feral demons. Running toward the destination readout, the scientist saw it light up on her approach.

"_Captain Benjamin Mathius recognized. Bridge travel unlocked"_

"The bridge?" Levy asked silently as Mira surged past her in panic.

"WHO CARES! GET US MOVING BEFORE THOSE THINGS CLAW IN!" Slamming her palm down, Mira felt horrible as the tram started to move. She had left Erza and Kagura in that hell…they never found them. And with the numbers of those things crawling around…it made her throat tighten at the worst possible outcome.

Leaving behind the medical wing, Strauss sank to a seat as she grasped her head. In less than an hour…half their group was gone…possibly dead in this place as horrific creatures hunted them. Glancing at Levy, the blue haired woman was still staring down at the console in absolute silence…

* * *

Kagura was flung against another wall plate, the galvanized steel indenting slightly as she let out a pained gasp of air. The tentacle was still wrapped around her ankle…pulling her through this maze of vents. And it was dark…so dark that the only light she had was the soft blue glow from her Gear armor and the flashlight attached to her rifle.

"Gah!" She cried with unholy dread as it started to pull her again down another duct. Pointing her lancer downrange past her legs, the gravity mage felt even greater horror as she saw her destination.

A warped vent plate…the metal warped and sharp points as reflections of gore and fleshy tendrils hung off the ripped bars. And the actual size of the hole in this said vent? Happy would have a hard time fitting through without cutting himself…and with the force this thing was exerting…

"_I'll be ripped apart!"_

She was dragged again, the leathery flesh slowly pulling her closer and closer…until it twisted. Showing another bulbous sac of yellow, Kagura fired.

The vent lit up with flashes as spent brass tinkled and bounced against the nearby wall. The lead burrowing into the diseased bulb as rancid pus burst and flew with a horrible rupture. Some sprayed across her boots and shin guards…but the tentacle let go as it recoiled beyond the torn grate.

"Shit! Shit!" Kagura panted as she scrambled backwards on her hands and heels. Breath short, she didn't want to give it another chance to grab her as she ran in a low crouch along the duct system. Pointing the beam of light before her, the female refused to think about the dried ichor coating some sections as she ran past…or how close she had come to resembling a tube of toothpaste.

Coming to a T-intersection with one path leading left, her breath was shallow as she squinted against the darkness. Straight ahead was a crisscross of…pink tendrils blocking the path as they hugged the metalwork around her. Starting to head left, Kagura froze as the beam of light crossed over a hunched over form.

"Not good…" She whispered to herself as the creature turned slowly.

It was a Slasher, the deformed head and tiny arms jutting out from the stomach bobbing as it stared at her…then charged with the blade hands ready to kill.

"Perish, Vile creature!" She shouted before firing, the stream of lead shattering the bone and flesh at the right shoulder. The limb fell…but the second arm swiped with a hiss like a scythe. Dragging across her chest plate, a long gouge was furrowed as this abomination tried to reach for her with the tiny, wiggling hands.

"DIE!" Kagura cried out as she revved up her lancer with practiced ease. Swinging from the right, the spinning teeth dug into the abdominal muscles of this vile creation as dead blood sprayed. Bone and bits of viscera flew, splattering against her armor as the abomination screamed with a howl.

"AAAAAUUGHHHH!" Working her way through, more gore flew as it spattered her face with bits flying into her hair. Finally cutting through, the Slasher still struggled as the two halves fell apart…But a secondary cut along the other shoulder blade finished it for good as the echoing sounds of battle faded.

Wiping excess gore away from her eyes, the woman tried not to think of what had landed against her skin. _"So gross! How…HOW AM I GETTING USED TO THIS!?"_

Expelling a shaky breath, she contemplated which path to take as distant groans wafted down the shaft on her left. They sounded mechanical…perhaps the machinery still working despite what happened here.

"But…there could be more of those things down the clear path…" Steeling her resolve, Kagura went straight…and cut her way past the tendrils of flesh. More horrific fluids sprayed against the walls and her own body, but it was something she had grown accompanied to. Stepping in something…soft, she hurried down the shaft in the hopes of finding an exit.

It was a maze of turns and dead ends…but eventually, Kagura found an opening in the floor of the air vent as she peered below with warranted caution.

The room was deserted, the flickering consoles on the closest wall displaying a warning message. A few work desks lined the far wall…along with a strange stasis chamber in the corner. The heavy door was shut, the bypass glowing red in the low light.

"Looks safe…But I mustn't drop my guard"

Dropping to the heavy plating that was the floor, her boots thudded as she slowly stood to her full height. Walking over to the console, her eyes tracked the blinking warning as a stale cup of coffee stood forgotten on her left.

"What the…?"

"_**Point Defense Offline. Class Three Environmental Hazard Detected"**_

The message blinked again, repeating itself as the female looked around the room. She didn't see any sort of weapon system, but closer inspection made her conclude this was a maintenance shop…or at least something of that manner. Moving toward the heavy doors, Kagura peered her eyes at the red screen set into the side.

"Hazard Three beyond. Environmental suit required…"

Sighing in tired frustration, she looked around some more before settling on the strange chamber set in the corner. It was open, beckoning as a small box hung from the wall to the right. Flipping the latch, Kagura found a plasma cutter inside with a full charge.

"An extra tool should never by ignored…" Casting one more glance at the man-sized chamber, the woman sighed before stepping in with the cutter clasped tightly in her right hand.

The chamber sprung to life, a door hissing shut behind her as a blue beam of light scanned her body. Trying to turn, she found multiple beams restraining her movements as machinery started to whir and spin…then pieces of a strange suit began to be affixed to her Gear armor at a frightening pace. Gaps were sealed…the joints becoming enshrouded with a strange material as a helmet was lowered and placed on her head.

Somehow…it knew to tuck her raven black hair against her back underneath the armor as more clicks and whirrs stirred around her. It sealed against the upgraded neck collar, clicking into place as a visor with three horizontal slits covered her face. They were colored obsidian, a darkness that would only be seen by others as the task neared completion.

Something attached to the bottom of her boots, embedding in the hard soles as the cylinder finished its job…then promptly opened.

Stepping out with haste, Kagura looked down at her gloved hands and arms.

"What…nothing's missing…just what was all that?" she asked herself as her eyes peered beyond the vision slit. Her view was still good, not perfect, but capable of seeing side to side. Walking toward the door once more, she felt the extra weight of her feet against the floor plating as the red light turned green.

"Now how did it do that? Is there a built-in sensor for this suit?" Kagura silently asked herself before hitting the door release.

An alarm blared…and air rushed out like a gale. Anything not tied down was sucked from the room into the vacuum of space as Kagura's boots magnetized against the plate.

Disbelief was in her throat as the woman stepped forward cautiously, her new suit protecting her from the coldness of space as she gulped. Taking a quick glance left, she studied the corridor that led to a closed door…most likely sealed automatically. Panning her vision to the front, she could understand how there was no more oxygen.

The hallway that presumably led to the Point Defense computeres…the path that would've been straight ahead…was gone. The hull ripped open like a can of sardines, twisted alloys bent and severed while ruined bulkheads ended in horrific curls. Whatever had transpired simply had taken fifty feet of corridor as Kagura took a cautionary step onto the twisted deck plating.

"We…we never were in a base…A ship…we shifted onto a space ship!" Looking down at the plasma cutter gripped in her hand, Kagura felt glad she had it. She might not know much about space…but she did know that bullets wouldn't fire in hard vacuum.

"Levy would know about all this…" Pressing a finger to her radio, the woman began to speak into the mic. "Erza? Levy? Mira? I'm alive…and I can't believe this…but we're in outer space"

There was static for a few moments…hissing and popping as the heavy door's closed behind her with a hissing seal.

"…_Kagura? Where are you? Is Erza with you?" _Mira's voice resounded over the radio waves as the mermaid started to walk forward toward a clump of machinery on the hull.

"No…isn't she with you?"

"_We got separated. I'm still with Levy and we're heading to the bridge. If you can, try to meet us there"_

Movement caught her eye…undead movement as something scuttled along the hull.

"Mira…I got company. I'll contact you later" Ending the call, she surged forward to a structural support beam laying across the ship hull. Ducking down, the mage peered over the lip of the heavy metal moments later.

The enemy…was big. A belly of yellowed and decaying flesh swashed back and forth in the zero-gravity as it lumbered across the outer hull. The legs were like shortened trunks, supporting the increased weight as those horrible, bone sharpened arms weaved in silence.

Behind this…pregnant undead abomination was an additional duo of slashers, their deformed feet still encased in magnetized boots as the sealed doorway beyond beckoned. They moved, seemingly sensing her existence as they unleashed silent screams.

Kagura could feel the blood pumping in her ears, the sharpness of her breathing as the suit recycled the oxygen. Switching to the 'horizontal' beam, the warrior gently squeezed the trigger as three lances of light pulsed out. They moved through the vacuum with ease before severing the right arm of the closest enemy, the limb simply flying away into the darkness.

Rapidly shifting, Kagura fired with practiced ease as the two Slashers were dispatched…then bounced away across the hull. But during her short battle, the Pregnant had closed to within ten feet, the speed and agility surprising her. Shifting herself, Kagura fired three blasts of ionized light into the large and wriggling belly.

The creature stopped…wavering for a moment…then the sac-like stomach ripped open as small globules of red drifted away among the four tiny slashers that emerged like a rancid infection. Starting to crawl over the parent as their claws and sharpened protrusions sank into the decayed skin, the beast lumbered forward.

Kagura wanted to vomit at how disgusting this was…but she needed to focus. Aiming downward as the large abomination drew closer, she fired before the pulse beam severed the left kneecap. Quickly re-aiming, the woman fired at the right leg as tendons severed and burst. No longer attached to the hull, the necromorph slowly drifted above her. One of the younger tried to slash…but missed as they slowly fell downward…toward the barren planet hanging in the night sky. Floating into the inky velvet of the cosmos, it would eventually collide with the immense slab of rock held by gravity tethers beyond.

Looking at the planet below her, it could've been a colony world…a research settlement…or perhaps a bid for mining based on that slab of earth floating below. All Kagura knew was that she was experiencing heavy vertigo as she stared at that desolate orb. Shaking her head to dispel the growing headache, her attention was hammered as a shrill alarm blew in her head before a female voice spoke calmly.

"_**Oxygen Depletion in one minute. Suffocation Imminent"**_

"Crap…" Turning, she started to sprint across the silent deck of twisted framework, deck plating, and rendered hull as her breathing grew more labored. Something struck the hull to her left, embedding in the steel as more impacts started to fall around her.

"SERIOUSLY!?" the woman raged as more incoming debris peppered the hull. Ducking behind a ragged slab of plate that had been part of the hallway, she could feel the vibration as something large stuck the opposite side like a hundred sledgehammers. Pushing the thought of instant death away, Kagura sprinted the last ten feet to the closed doors before slamming her palm against the release.

It opened slowly, the lack of air inside preventing explosive decompression as she stepped in and practically punched the interior button. They reclosed, leaving the corridor in silence as pieces of forgotten equipment floated near a dead body. Pushing past the floating worker that probably died from lack of air, Kagura made a bee-line for the second door twenty feet away.

"Running…low…" she gasped, her eyes starting to blur as she read the readout of a work console set into the wall. The lack of oxygen was being felt…her head pounding as her lungs struggled to breathe.

'_**Oxygen Recompression?'**_

'_**Yes' 'No'**_

Kagura punched her fist against the left option, the blow vibrating her knuckles while a soft hiss started to fill the corridor.

Oxygen was flowing…and she unsealed her helmet to breathe…and breathe for her starved lungs. The throbbing headache began to fade…her brain and bloodstream getting the precious gases as she took a few moments.

"My goodness…that was…unpleasant" she whispered, her voice lightly crackling before standing up. Watching as a wrench floated past, the dark haired female collected herself before heading into the next area.

A rectangular room greeted her, the air still and stale with tiny bits of human debris floating calmly. A second doorway was set into the wall on her left, the opening jammed open by damage as another hallway loomed into the bowels of the ship. Fortunately, the room was deserted of enemies as the mage continued to pan her light over the surfaces.

It appeared the gravity was still off while globules of cold blood drifted near two more bodies. Hovering near a line of consoles, one of the corpses spun…then split in half as more unweighted gore silently drifted. They had both been men…technicians or mechanics by the look of their uniforms as one still clutched a microchip board in a stiff hand.

Ducking low past the emerging string of intestine, Kagura moved toward the middle computer as the light blue glow of the screen cast shadows.

'_**Point Defense Sub-station offline'**_

The words burned softly in the tomb, making her skin crawl as only the light sounds of pumping air graced her ears. A distant clang almost made her jump, but it was far…too far away to concern her at that moment. The access panel was open, showing multiple components as one lightly smoked. A circuit board…probably more advanced than anything back home had been fried.

Looking back to the corpse still holding onto the fresh one, Kagura could connect the dots.

"Most likely they were finishing repairs when they were killed…" Prying the item from the rigid hands, Kagura didn't hold any qualms about taking from the dead. After all…she's done it before. Yanking out the damaged board, she quickly switched them in moments.

The warning screen shut off, instead displaying a functional readout as the ships point defense came back online.

A soft thud vibrated through her feet from someplace close as the targeting computer tracked hostile debris and fired, obliterating any rocks too arrogant for their own good. Letting out a breath, Kagura turned away toward the second hallway as she once again aimed her lancer before her.

"That should help…at least we won't be killed by flying space rocks. Now…time to find Erza" Moving past the threshold, Kagura would attempt to locate her friend as she cautiously walked into the darkness of the infested ship…

* * *

Erza slowly opened her eyes, the fall knocking her out for who knows how long. Vision groggy, her senses were screaming danger as dread raced down her spine. Looking upward at that moment…it saved her life. Rolling to the side as a bladed arm gouged the metalwork where her head had been, her muscles cried from the movement. Gasping in fear as it hissed through the dead air, the woman didn't hesitate to fire point blank into the slasher's stomach.

"Stay away from me!" She commanded with a fearful shout as the horror loomed above her. Illuminated by the soft blue of her Gear armor, all it did was make it more insidious as her rifle spat a crescendo of gunfire.

Brass tinkled endlessly next to her head as she fired from the ground, the stench of rotting flesh and cordite heavy with the screams of her attacker. Dead blood spilled onto her abdomen…the ruination apparent before the beast collapsed on top of her in true death. The vile smell flowed…gagging her nostrils as the appendages scraped the floor around her.

Pinned to the floor, Erza breathed deeply as she tried to get her bearings.

"Ung..get off me!" she lightly shouted, pushing the creature away as she crawled to her feet. Coughing heavily, Scarlet frantically aimed her flashlight around her location.

Galvanized steel walls led to her left and right as soft particles of something lingered in the air. Looking upward as her body ached, she saw a broken grate fifteen feet above in a vertical shaft.

"A…ventilation duct? How far did I fa…SHIT! KAGURA!" Activating the radio, Erza silently prayed her friend was sill alive. But then…where were Mira and Levy? Dispelling the random thought, her worry took the forefront.

"Kagura! Are you there!?"

"_Erza? Are you alright?"_

"Yes…but I don't know where I am"

"_I'm making my way to the bridge…hopefully Mira and Levy are already there. These things are everywhere"_

"The bridge?"

"_Yes…we shifted onto a spaceship over a planet"_ A momentary pause as gunfire echoed over the radio along with monstrous screams. _"Erza…be careful. Not all these sections have air or gravity and these…necromorphs don't need air. Call me again when you establish your location. I'll…DAMN! I have to go!"_

Kagura ended the exchange, the crackling static soft as Erza lowered her hand. Glancing to the left, the scarlet haired warrior decided on that direction. Heavy boots clomping down the restricting corridor, the woman could hardly believe it.

"A spaceship…I guess we're lucky we didn't shift outside the hull then…If you count fighting these monsters lucky…"

Uneven footsteps. The scrape of sharpened edges on steel. These sounds echoed down the passageway over the stillness of silence.

"_Erza…"_

She spun, long hair flying as the low voice reached her. "Who's there?"

More pattering of footsteps made her spin again, the cone of light washing over the distorted faces of two more Slashers as they approached with ill intent. The bladed arms dangled downward, sinister in the artificial light as the grotesque faces hung open.

"_Fresh bodies…give us fresh bodies…"_

The voice whispered again…resonating in her mind with echoing gasps of madness. But the Gear shook it off and fired. A heavy burst erupted from the muzzle of her lancer, the snapping lead erupting up the first necromorph's body as coagulated blood flew. Horrific chunks spattered the nearby wall as the arm severed, but it came on.

"Damn!" She shouted as she grit her teeth in frustration. Unleashing another fusillade, the knight severed the other arm as it collapsed and died…but then the second Slasher swung at her head. The blade of bone hissed above her cranium as Erza ducked, taking a few precious strands of hair. The second arm came down like a scythe, gouging across her breastplate with a trail of sparks.

The blow was like a hammer, pushing the woman back on unsteady feet as the creature surged forward with both arms raised.

"_Kill yourself…give us your body…" _The whispers clogged her mind…trying to break in with harsh echoes.

"NO! I WON'T END MY LIFE!" Erza screamed into the darkness. The slasher stabbed forward, trying to impale her…but Erza dodged past. A quick roll had her behind the enemy…and she spun up her chainsaw as it rumbled in her hands. Flipping the weapon while staring at the exposed back, Erza plunged it in as the teeth bit and ate the dead flesh. It ripped and sprayed…coating her front and the nearby walls with ichor as unidentified pieces slapped against her scarred chest-plate. Specks of gore hit her cheek as she pulled up, but the Gear didn't mind as the monster gave one final scream in death. Severed vertically, both halves fell away as the woman gave a deep breath.

"God…I hate these things…"

"_Harm yourself…"_

"No…whatever you are…you will not break me" Erza hissed out at the sinister voices. Turning away, she continued down her initial path as her boots squelched through the running blood. The air was still stale…floating dust wafting around in the gloom as she moved in morbid silence.

For ten minutes she walked…her loneliness ever-present as distant echoes of stressed metal or clanking machinery reached her ears.

"_Kill them…"_

Erza dispelled the thoughts, ignoring the whispering voices in her head as she kept her Lancer ready. The stock was pressed to her shoulder…a steady weight as the cone of light illuminated a T-intersection twenty feet away. Yellow spores seemed to collect in the air…dancing in the minimal light as her breathing became shallow…labored.

The voices came roaring back like a freight train, burning through her mind as the woman shuddered a broken breath.

"_Kill yourself…Kill YOurself…KILLYOURSELF!KILLKILLKILLKILLYOURSELFKILLYOURSELF!"_

"NOOOOO!"

Slamming her forehead against the nearest surface, the blow rang against her skull as stars seemed to flash. Taking a knee, Erza could feel a light trickle of blood flowing down from a fresh cut over her brow. Waving a hand through the air, the soldier didn't feel the gloved hand pushing away more of those spores.

"Erza"

A familiar tone…the painful gravel of his voice…she would recognize it anywhere. Snapping her head up, a flash of salmon hair disappeared around the right corner up ahead.

"Natsu…" Picking herself up, the woman ran toward the corner. Bursting around, the beam of light poured down the narrow corridor toward the heavily scarred man she loved. He was crouched down at an open vent, the covering long removed as his long facial scar seemed to reflect back at her. His battle marred gear armor…the lancer magnetized to his back plate…it was him.

"Natsu…How are you here?" She asked as the man looked at her with his unwavering calmness.

"The air's getting pretty bad in here…all these spores making it hard to breathe. I found something that will help you" Jumping down, the male left her sight as Erza sprinted forward in desperation. She wanted to touch him…hold him…just hear him reassure her and keep her safe from the horrors in this ship.

Coming to the gap in the floor, the red head looked down into a security office…but didn't see Natsu. Easing herself down with a grunt of sore muscles, the woman landed in a small crouch in the center of the room.

The doors were '_thunking_' constantly, trying to close and open as half a corpse clogged the base. Dried blood and ichor had splattered the floor near empty casings, but it was a secondary observation as more of those yellow spores seemed to linger.

Coughing heavily, Erza ignored the line of security consoles on the left most wall…and the raided armory set near a body sized capsule in the corner. Parts of a suit seemed to rest inside…but her boyfriend was nowhere to be seen.

"N…Natsu? Where…where did you go?" She croaked, her vision getting blurry and hazy. Stepping forward, her feet were unsteady as she approached the environmental hazard suit assembler. "Help…me…breathe?" Erza asked dumbly as she looked inside. A shove pushed her…not like she was in the right state of mind to notice as the door hissed shut behind her.

And like Kagura before her, Scarlet found new plates and seals being attached to her Gear armor while a helmet was set upon her head. Breathing deeply as the filtration system came to work for the moment, Erza found her head clearing. Resting a palm against her new helmet, Erza stepped out as three vision slits of red studied the room.

Her radio crackled, springing to life as her head tried to clear.

"_Erza. You need to head to hydroponics. The leviathan has taken up residence there and is poisoning the air. The few people still alive on this ship need that oxygen to breathe"_

"Is that where you went Natsu? How do I get there? And why didn't you find us before? We…I…I needed you" The soldier whispered, her heart heavy with grief as that familiar, tired rasp carried over the airwaves.

"_The multiverse is vast Erza…infinite. Just took me awhile to track down my beautiful queens. But we can catch up later. Mira and Levy don't have these protective suits…and the security chief…she's trapped in the shuttle hanger. You need to help her…now follow this map I've sent you"_

A tiny readout lit up in her field of vision, a blue line showing the path to her destination as the woman nodded.

"Okay Natsu…but once we're safe…I'm gonna screw your brains out" the woman lightly smirked as her man groaned.

"_Seriously…you're all a bunch of horny, lust filled women. It's amazing I have the time to kill grubs at all. Now get going…I'll join up with you later"_

The radio clicked off, signifying her time to move. Slipping past the partially broken doors, Erza turned right down the hall as spores danced in the air. A deceased Slasher was slumped against the wall, the horrid arms still as she slipped past. Taking the next left, she kept a cautious lookout for enemies as a new corridor loomed.

A slasher entered the cone of her flashlight, the dead eyes staring at her as it started to run toward her. Blood coated the blades…more reflected off the diseased teeth in the mutated maw as it howled.

It didn't have a chance as bullets punched through the shoulder joints and severed the deadly appendages in moments. The body dropped, blood flowing from the stumps as the woman walked past toward the next turn…and the double doors leading to Hydroponics.

"_Carve your face…kill your comrades…"_

The voices returned…but Erza would not be tricked by them.

"No…The man I love is here…You will not ruin my mind with your madness!" Pushing the switch, the doors slid open as a mass of spores danced on the air. The labored breathing of the filters seemed to be working overtime as she entered the vast room filled with growing fruits, vegetables, and trees to supplement the ships oxygen. But under the swirling infection of deadly spores…wheezing…and coughing with sickly hacks of lungs.

"_Thank god Natsu helped me find this suit. This filtration system is the only thing keeping me alive…"_ Brushing off some of the floating particles that had collected on her chest plate, Erza walked toward the sickly sound. Passing several trees and other plants, she finally found the source slumped over against a work station while a support pillar stretched to the ceiling past a secondary floor.

The creature had been human, but that point had passed long ago. Crouched over and curled into a ball, the arms and legs had fused together to prevent movement. Like it's more mobile brethren, the skin was pallid…sickly with death as the head lolled lightly upward.

It wheezed…the larger lungs sprouting from the exposed back filling with a horrid mixture before a flap opened. Spores flew out, the miniscule poison and cysts blooming like an explosion of cancer as they joined their floating brothers around them.

"What a horrid fate…" Erza whispered to herself. Pulling her boltok, it was aimed at the poison breather's head in a flash.

'_**BANG! BANG!'**_

The report bounced off the still walls and through the deadly air after the two slugs blew the head apart in a spray of yellow and reddish blood. Some splattered the nearby console, but Scarlet didn't notice as the insidious sounds of more wheezing filled the air.

A clatter of fallen tools made her shift, crouching down at the console while she switched weapons. Holding the lancer tight as the body behind her rested, the woman peered around the right edge of the console as the cone of light tried to pierce the swirling spores.

"_**Hungk! Hungk! URRGAHH!'**_

A ball of…bile flew from the murk, flying past her head before impacting the grating of the deck. It sizzled…popping with horrific acidic properties. Thank god she had the helmet…the smell probably would've made her pass out.

A scratching of uneven footsteps redrew her attention as a form lurked out of the gloom…then a second ball of bile soared from the far right.

"Shit!" Erza cried as she ducked back…just as the orb splashed against the work console. Metal-work hissed…popping as the surface took damage.

Blind-firing around the corner, empty casings clattered across the floor before she moved. Circling to the left past the corpse, she stood up against the heavy support beam before exposing herself to the enemy.

It was more disgusting than the Slasher's or those…dead spider infants.

The lower jaw was gone…just a gaping hole in the head as eyeless sockets tried to search for her. It's chest cavity was open…a tangle of veins, tendrils of necrotic tissue…and lungs slowly filling with bile as the spore danced around the two monsters. Razor-like claws were its hands, the blades long and sharp as the first took another step forward. The original legs had fused together into one…morphing into a thicker trunk as the second leg was comprised of the former innards of this unfortunate soul.

It was an observation taken in brief moments, and Erza had seen enough as she tried not to vomit in her mouth.

"_I've seen some horrible things…but this is in the top five no doubt"_

She fired, aiming down the sights toward that growing chest sac as it filled with more and more vomit. The gunfire shattered the air, a small fusillade as the snapping lead tore into the flesh. It ruptured, bile leaking out in a slow flow as the Puker staggered backward.

It fell, but Erza didn't have time to admire her work as the second launched another ball of acidic vomit. Ducking back into cover as it flew past, she reloaded as the creature moved forward to close the distance. Re-emerging from cover, the woman's eyes widened as it was mere feet away.

Erza fired from the hip, unleashing half a clip of ammunition into the exposed cavity. Bits of viscera and flesh flew, the damage too great as the horror choked on its own sickness. Falling backwards, it lay still. Nudging the foot, the monster didn't move as she breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"What vile abominations…"

Turning away, Erza proceeded through the maze of plant life as the thickening spores danced on the air. She killed a few more wheezer's along the way, mainly because they were in her way. But the main concern was another attack from some slashers…but she dealt with them harshly.

Reaching the far end of the room with fresh spatters of blood covering her armor, Erza continued to follow the map through the double doors. Claw marks adorned them, marring the letters '**Primary Food Storage'**

Glancing at the holo-map hovering to the left of her face, Erza had to admit…hydroponics was huge. Apparently, there were two full wings, a seedling nursery, refrigeration…she was fortunate to avoid most of it thanks to Natsu's help. Who knows how many necromorph's she would have to face otherwise?

"Still…this Leviathan sounds like bad news. I hope Natsu is there to help…" Erza told herself as she pushed through the door into the connecting corridor.

Spores and cysts billowed around her, clinging to the surfaces of the walls. Moving down the connecting passage, she was surprised that no other horrors were in her way to attack and try to kill her.

"_leave…submit to your death…Find Mira…Rip her flesh…"_

"Be quiet!" She uttered, malice and a slight wavering of an unhinged tone in her muffled voice. Hurrying down the long passage as her boots left dirty, gore prints in her wake, Erza finally reached the end doorway.

Her radio crackled, hissing with pops as that same voice reached her ears.

"_Erza. I got cut off from joining you. Just make sure to kill this thing and clear the air. Head to the shuttle hanger afterwards…you'll be safe near the marker"_

"Natsu? Wait!? What marker?" She asked in a light panic as the heavy spores floated around her. The radio was silent, a slow hiss before she shut it off. Brushing the cysts away from the button panel, Scarlet released the locks as the large doors rumbled in their tracks.

Keeping her lancer raised, Erza stepped onto the walkway that took a rapid L-shape to her left…and right beyond what had once been the primary storage for this vessel's food. If any of that precious food was left…it was most likely rotten and spoiled by now.

Taking a cautionary step back as her head tilted upwards…was a truly massive beast. Its form gripped the cylindrical walls, clinging to the surfaces like adhesive as three tentacles waved and pulsed through the air. The center was…a mass of muscle and flesh. If they had been people, there was no way to distinguish individuals now as it pulsed with a sickly glow of necrosis. Then…right in the middle was a maw of teeth as it seemed to sense the intruder that was Erza.

A tool floated past her head…serenely at peace just before the leviathan swept at the catwalk she was standing on.

She jumped, the zero-G assisting in her escape of damage as the appendage crashed into the catwalk…and destroyed it with ease. Steel ripped from the wall, spinning and bouncing away with heavy clangs as sparks flew from impacts.

Landing on the upper curvature to the right, Erza crouched her knees as her magnetized boots kept her stable for the moment. Watching as the trunk-like appendage started to curl back into the fleshy horror before her, the Gear eyed a patch of yellow right above the base.

It disappeared as the tentacle shortened, rejoining the others as they danced with ill intent. Spores wavered…flowing with their movements as the right most arm shot forward to attack her. She run upward along the curve to the ceiling, the beast missing her by hairs as she targeted that weak point of yellow disease.

She squeezed the trigger, unleashing a flow of erupting lead as their velocity kept them on point. A few landed on the outer exterior, just slapping into the wet flesh…but more hit true as rendered bulbs of diseased pus flew…and formed into floating orbs.

The spent casings tumbled away, floating without a care as the Leviathan withdrew its arm from the damage. It shuddered lightly…then attacked with the next limb.

"Guah!" The woman cried out in pain as the thick limb slammed into her side like a sledgehammer. Flying away, she tumbled against the wall as light spittle flew from her mouth and covered the faceplate of her helmet. Planting her feet as the magnets clung, she barely had time to avoid another attack as her side ached from the initial blow.

Rolling to the left as the Leviathan tried to crush her, Erza dodged one of the floating pieces of the catwalk before she managed to aim and fire once more. Gunfire flashed in the storage room, reflecting off the walls as speeding lead tore through the vulnerable joints of dead infection. More pustules and necrotic flesh fell away…but Erza was already jumping as the gargantuan creature recoiled with a hiss.

"Damn this thing!" She cursed heavily while landing on the left wall. Frankly, she didn't have time to feel vertigo or sickness from the changes of her stance in zero-g…there were more pressing matters. The left most tentacle surged toward her…and hammered the curved wall as it threw off her balance.

The jump went bad, Erza's body tumbling through the spore laden air as she cried in light panic. Her vision raced during the impromptu spin…a sickening motion of flashes. It felt like her stomach was trying to climb out of her throat…then she landed…hard.

'GAAAHHH!" Erza gasped as she lightly bounced from the impact, her bones jarring. Reaching out a gloved hand…it grasped something that was far from solid as the ground shook. Turning her head as the red vision slits flared among the spores, Erza knew she wouldn't like it.

She had landed on the Leviathan, the sickly flesh and ichor coating some parts of her modified Gear armor.

"Yup…knew I wouldn't like it"

"_Let it kill you…"_ The whispers of madness echoed, rattling her nerves as she rolled and stood up. Her heavy boots started to sink into the vileness, sucking at her soles while the closest tentacle pushed out. It curled and waved in the air, searching for her…and left that critical point open.

"FOOL!" Erza bellowed through the mask, her voice muffled among the collection of spores. Flipping the switch of her lancer, the chainsaw bayonet started to spin as the teeth hissed and buzzed. The joining was vertical to her…the leverage god-awful…but she made it work as she fell onto her back…and started to saw perpendicularly. Infection spewed everywhere, flying out in horrific globs of pus as the yellow substance impacted her already gore encrusted armor. Some flew against the red slits of her visor, but Erza kept cutting as the teeth rendered the flesh.

"SOO DISGUSTING!" The woman cried out moments later as the tentacle came free…and drifted away. The Leviathan bucked…shuddering as it cried and groaned. Erza was flung off, floating through the air slowly as the abomination wheezed. The mouth puckered…resembling a diseased asshole…then fired several orbs of spore. Each one the size of her head, the redhead knew she couldn't let them strike her.

A piece of the catwalk drifted by, the metal still mostly flat. Grabbing it in earnest, Erza spun it around her…just as the spore crashed into the temporary shield as her lancer came free from her grip.

They exploded, filling the room with thousands more miniscule cysts as the force pushed her toward the closed doorway she had entered from. Landing in a soft crouch, Erza pushed off with her shield as she flew toward the Leviathan. Re-snatching her rifle from the poisonous air, she knew this weapon would not be enough to fully kill this monster as she clamped it to her back plate.

"_Consume your flesh…kill…kill yourself…the others…will kill you…destroy them!"_

"Grrr…GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Erza cried as she impacted against the wall of skin and broken bone. Some chunks flew away…filling more of the room as she gasped. Clutching her head as the voices hissed, she staggered upward…and knew that she had to land a deadly blow against this evil.

The two remaining tentacles jutted out, squirming and wriggling as the maw glugged and choked on more spores from a mere three feet away. It bucked, tying to shake her off…but the female would have none of that as she leaned down and gripped the ichor. Pulsing between her gloved fingers, she was immensely grateful for the material protecting her skin.

Erza pulled a grenade off her belt…then a second as she stepped onto the vileness near the teeth of this nightmare. Yanking the pins, she arced her arm wide…then threw both grenades into the mess of teeth as the friction-less air and momentum gave them purpose.

The Leviathan seemed to 'gulp,' ingesting the strange orbs as Erza leapt away to sail in the deadly oxygen. Knocking the severed limb away, she landed on the curvature of the roof…

'_**WHUMPHH!'**_

The muffled explosion took place inside it's body, expanding the diseased surface as the gristle glowed orange for a brief moment in a outward cone of skin….but it didn't break as the Leviathan thrashed and bucked with monstrous wails. The mouth opened…a flow of blood erupting from inside as the tentacles speared the air and searched for what caused it harm.

"Dammit! Still alive!?" Erza cursed as the whispers of madness came back in full force.

"_Let it feed…become one with us…heal us…"_

Erza shook her head, forcing images of her friends and Natsu into her mind to fight off the bloody images flooding her brain.

"No…NO! I WILL END YOU!" Clomping heavily along the ceiling, Erza's fingers flew across her re-equip device mounted to her left forearm. Selecting the weapon she desired, it digitized in her arms as she ducked low to avoid a swipe of tentacle.

It hissed above her head, knocking away debris as Scarlet clutched the flamethrower close to her gore encrusted chest. Lungs throbbing from exertion, she was caught off guard as the same tentacle swiped back…and slammed her backward.

"UNGH!" The female let out, her air expelling from tired lungs as she hit the entrance wall. Spittle flew from her mouth…muscles ached and flared with pain as she moved her feet to magnetize against the wall.

"_Surrender yourself…cut your face…"_

"SILENCE! YOUR END IS HERE!" Coiling her legs, Erza jumped and shot across the room to her hated enemy. Another appendage tried to swipe…knock her from the trajectory, but it missed as she shot past on a wave of fury and desperation. Pointing the flamethrower before her, the red slits of the helmet grew momentarily brighter as the maw drew closer…and closer.

It was recoiling…closed like a sphincter as the gargling of fresh spores was being created from the damage within. Taking far longer now…it would not be ready in time.

Erza landed boots first, sinking into the necrosis right outside the lips of the closed mouth. Anger filling her voice and heart, she plunged the muzzle of the scorcher into the flaps of skin.

"DDIIIIEEE!"

Squeezing the trigger of the flame thrower, a jet of napalm raced down the Leviathan's throat as it burned and licked all it touched. Racing toward the damaged interior, the napalm seared flesh as destruction and fire coursed in its wake. Reaching the…'brain' of the Leviathan, the jet of fire washed over the organ as the massive creature began to die a horrid death.

It bucked…pain coursing along the necromorphic nerves as Erza jumped away and landed before it. Battered and bruised…she had a small content smile on her face as globs of blood and pus floated nearby.

"That took longer than I ex-!"

The Leviathan's death throes unattached it from the circular walls…and unsealed the plug it had formed with the vacuum of space. Having initially collided with the ship and tearing into the hull, it was now being pulled back as it died…and taking everything with it during explosive decompression.

In one moment, the horror was there…trying to cling to existence…then it was pulled into the inky velvet of outer space like a crumpled paper cup.

"AUUGH!" Erza cried in panic as the rush of expelling oxygen sucked her down the passageway toward the torn breech. Tumbling and bouncing along the flooring as spore laden air, spent bullets, and globules of blood flew past, the woman was desperate for a handhold.

Scarlet bounced past the wound in the hull on the rush of air, barely missing the twisted marr of steel that would've decapitated her if she had been a foot to the left.

"No…I can't die like this…Natsu…Natsu…help me" she loudly prayed as the stars spun in her mad tumble away from the ship orbiting the distant world. Her breathing was like hammers…the loudest thing around her as she spun in a death spiral.

"_I…I don't want to die here…alone…floating endlessly through the cosmos…"_

Something flashed past her vision.

Erza reacted, her arm outstretched as the snaking coil of hose dangled in the void. Her sealed fingers touched it…grasping hard as her spin halted. Rapidly pulling herself to a stop, both her hands were like vices as she gripped the air hose.

It had been cut, the end a mess of frayed material as she started to pull herself backward toward the ship along the anchored hose. If she had to guess…there was an astronaut spinning away out there…never to be found.

Her radio sprang to life, crackling in her ear as the woman continued to work hand over hand.

"_Erza. That hose leads to an airlock right next to the shuttle hangar. Get inside and close the door to re-pressurize the room" _Natsu instructed, his rasp calming the woman as she pulled…and pulled.

"Natsu! Where the hell were you! I could've really used your help!" Erza cried out as the open air-lock drew closer and closer. To the immediate right were the massive blast doors of the hanger, still closed as the spinning debris of a ruined shuttle spun outside.

A tired sigh greeted her…a rasp of exhaustion from her man before he spoke. _"I'm sorry Erza…I really am. If I could've been there…I would've, but it just wasn't possible at this time. You pulled through though…just like I knew you would. Now get inside before your oxygen runs out"_

"Natsu! Don't just cut me off you fire bastard!" Erza shouted as she planted a tentative boot inside the airlock. Feeling the magnet click against the surface, she planted the other foot as the small room before her loomed in silence.

A severed arm hovered near the door's keypad as small globs of frozen blood gathered nearby. Pushing it aside, Erza hit the controls. The outer entrance closed with a hiss of sealing gases before air started to chug back in, pressurizing the atmosphere as a short alarm blared.

It rang with a warble, a yellow light strobing on and off outside in the darkened corridor beyond.

"Damn…those things will notice in moments" She cursed before releasing the hatch. Switching weapons to her lancer, the woman took a cautionary step into the connecting hallway to the hanger…

A blade whiffed past her helmeted face by centimeters, cutting the air like a scythe as a Slasher stood there with its standard horror. Her chainsaw rumbled in moments, almost eager for battle as Scarlet screamed into her helmet.

"YYYEAARRGGHHHH!" the woman bellowed as the churning teeth dug and bit into the dead flesh of the necromorph at the shoulder. Skin and muscle flew…splitting with ichor as the gore plastered her dinged and filthy armor. Kicking the corpse away, Erza saw five…eight…fourteen…dozen's already turning and heading her way. Laying down a heavy fusillade of gunfire, it erupted as the Gear sprinted to her left into the wider hanger among the infestation of death…

Alissa Vincent had fallen asleep at the base of the marker, the towering monolith of alien design the only thing keeping the necromorph's at bay. They hated it…none risking too pass the invisible field this artifact emitted.

Gunfire shattered her nightmarish rest, yanking her awake as she grabbed her sidearm. Standing up, the Security Chief looked out among the sea of monsters that had once been her crewmates.

Looking past the damaged shuttle fifty feet outside the 'safe zone' crackles of heavy gunfire took out one of those bastards. Yelling and screaming graced her ears…and it gave her a small measure of hope.

"A survivor?" the woman whispered, her short, red hear moving with her head as she eyed the grouping to her right.

A person emerged…their suit covered with all manners of filth and gore…then they chain-sawed through another of the vile beasts. Not even waiting, they kept sprinting across the decking as Alissa waved frantically.

"HERE! OVER HERE!" She screamed, hoping to get their attention.

The survivor reached her, practically diving headfirst along the floor as two Slashers sundered the air where they had just been. Rushing over, the security officer rolled the person over as red vision slits of an engineering suit stared at her.

"A woman…Hey? Are you alright? Are you alive?"

Looking back at the horrors inhabiting the hanger, they had all lined up again…their mutated feet never crossing that alien threshold as their bladed hands shone in the light. They bayed and howled…almost begging to tear them apart.

The survivor fumbled…releasing the clasps of the air-tight helmet before pulling it off. Scarlet hair spilled out…brighter than Alissa's as the stranger stared up.

"All of that…really…really sucked"

Vincent smirked a little at that. She could fully understand as she extended a hand downward. "I don't recognize you from the Ishimura's crew…are you part of a rescue party?"

Taking the hand, Erza was assisted in being pulled to her feet. Staring up at the twisting monolith covered in ancient and blood colored runes, she lightly shook her head.

"Not…exactly" Pressing a finger to her ear, Erza ignored the harsh whispers in her head and the monstrous howls of the necromorphs barely twenty feet away. Taking a heavy breath…she gasped a bit of relief at finding a safe harbor.

"Mira. Everybody. I managed to kill the Leviathan that was poisoning the air with Natsu's help. I've made it to the hanger and found a survivor…" Looking at the tired woman, Erza took in more details. Wearing a brown security jacket along with similarly colored pants, her undershirt was white…not counting the numerous stains of dried gore. The hair was shorter, a bob cut similar to Sam's as the officer provided a name.

"Alissa Vincent. She's chief of security. Um…be advised, the hanger is crawling with these things"

"_Did you say Natsu helped you?"_ Levy asked a few seconds later, her voice sounding suspicious to Erza…but the red head played it off to stress.

"Yes. He's here and helped me out a great deal. Listen, I'm going to ask the security officer some questions. I'll fill you in later with what I learn"

"_Okaaay…Just…don't go running off again. I'm almost at the bridge with Mira and N.F…uh…yeah…don't go insane?"_ The radio cut off, leaving the two in silence as Erza turned to her new companion. Spotting a few chairs near a workstation, she gave a quick nod of her head.

Taking a seat, the Gear studied the officer before her. Frankly…she was just glad there was a survivor to even meet. "Lieutenant Erza Scarlet. Mind filling me in on how…" She emphasized the necromorph's nearby "All this happened?"

"It's a long story…but we have the time I guess…" Alissa muttered in exhaustion as she leaned back in her chair. "It all started a few days ago down at the colony of Aegis seven…"

* * *

Levy lowered her hand, the radio silent as she stared back at Mira and her watermelon companion. They were standing in a silent hall, the random sprays of blood along the floor almost dried. Having fought numerous Slashers on their way here, the trio was now standing before the secured doors of the bridge proper. Numerous gouges decorated the metal, but it hadn't been broken through like so many other rooms they had passed.

A pair of severed legs lay nearby among piles of ichor…the owner long gone as Levy finally spoke over the stench of decay. "Mira…we both know Natsu isn't here. There just is no fucking way he could be…are you…seeing things?"

The white haired female shifted, glancing backward at the two necro's they had just killed minutes prior. A whisper echoed in her mind…muddled and distant, but it was there.

"I've been…hearing a few things. Are you?"

"No. I'm already crazy so I should be immune to further…crazy. But if you start hearing words asking you to…chop of my limbs for a lampshade, please let me know before-hand. That way, N.F. can restrain you"

"I'll do it to!"

"Let's just…get onto the bridge and hopefully find a route off this damn ship. Erza's in the shuttle bay, but we have no idea how to get there"

"Yeah…and she's already gone looney with visions of Natsu" Glancing down at her wrist mounted quantum reader, Levy saw that three hours had passed already. Shaking her head at the dwindling time, the woman approached the card scanner to the bridge. Swiping the captain's keycard, the nearby light went from red to green while the door lock rumbled inside the steel.

Pushing the heavy bulk open to squeeze through, Mira was the first one to enter the bridge…and felt the cool barrel of a gun press to her temple from her left. Freezing in step, Strauss knew there was no way to bring her lancer to bear.

"Don't move"

The voice was tired…scared…shaking as Mira slowly lowered her weapon. Another scuttle of footsteps came from her right, making her eyes dart in that direction. A low humming sound was accompanied by a harsh, blue light, the deadly heat immediately felt by the take-over mage.

"Alright. But I'm not one of those things"

"Who's with you? We heard the voices through the door" the second voice asked, the fear almost making it crack as Mira slowly turned her head. A woman stood there, her eyes full of anguish as she held the humming plasma saw in two hands. The blue heat lit up her dirty blonde hair as splotches of dried red covered her jumpsuit. Taking a step back from Mira, the female gulped before raising the saw higher.

Levy spoke, the voice reaching both women through the door gap in a deathly quiet tone as the second crewman kept the gun pressed against Mira's temple. "If you kill my friend…my family…I will throw you both out of a fucking airlock"

"You…your…not one of them? Are you crazy?"

"I am…but that happened long before getting here" The bluenette answered truthfully as Normal face slipped past Mira's legs and entered the bridge.

"What…WHAT THE HELL!?" The gun wielder cried out as the walking creature stared up at her with a blank face.

"I..am…NORMAL F-!"

'_**BANG! BANG!'**_

The traumatized survivor fired point blank into the green creature's cranium, spilling watermelon brain matter across the floor as Mira dove to the side and tackled her. Wrestling the gun away in moments, she was backed up by Levy as the shorter woman surged through the door. Aiming at the saw wielder, Levy dared the woman to try and reach her with a burning hum of plasma.

"Close that fucking door Mira. I don't want any surprises coming after us" Levy ordered simply as she herded the two women together. Finally getting a good look at both as the bridge door was closed, she narrowed her eyes at the duo. They both had obviously been in some bad spots based on the state of their uniforms…among the gristle and blood that ruined their clothes. The saw wielder had backed up, protecting the now weaponless female next to her as the plasma hummed and hissed in the still air of the deserted bridge. The other woman was a pure blonde, her white uniform lined with black strips along her chest among the horrid stains.

"Names" Mira ordered as she came back, her left foot barely missing the dead watermelon as she stared down at the survivors.

"Medical Officer Nicole Brennan"

"Ore Specialist Heather Taft" The second spoke wearily, the voice beyond fatigued as she watched the watermelon slowly stand…and blink at her with even eyes.

"Miss Levy! I believe these are survivors of this disaster!"

"No shit, N.F…" Levy muttered as she lowered her weapon. Mira gave a slow nod, spinning the pistol by the grip before handing it back to the medical officer.

"We aren't here to hurt you. Just trying to survive this hell" Mira assured them both as they stood up. Both were staring at the watermelon, hundreds of questions on their lips as to how…or why such a thing existed.

"Sorry for…shooting your…talking melon? I'm sorry, is it one of those things outside?" Nicole asked before Levy scoffed.

"Pfft! Hardly. More like an angry murder fruit that protects me and the others. Just don't worry about it. He's practically immortal anyway…" Stepping past the two with Mira, both women stared out the all encompassing view scape of the bridge windows. Beyond was…space. The void of nothing between planets and stars as Mira lightly gasped at the sight.

She had never been in space before…and it could be beautiful…if their situation was different. Below them was a desolate world devoid of oceans and life…just a rock hanging in the cosmos. Studying some nearby consoles as she looked away, the demon could only guess they had been once manned by the officers and technicians of the bridge crew before this tragedy.

"That's Aegis Seven…where all this horror began" Brennan whispered as she stared at the world below…and shuddered. Despite her training…her vast medical knowledge, she hadn't been able to save anybody expect Heather. And that poor woman had barely escaped the slaughter in the crew showers.

"Why not fill us in on eve-!"

Levy was thrown to the floor along with the others, the ship bucking like a mule as strained metalwork groaned and cried from the sudden stresses. Hitting the deck hard, she gave a soft cry as alarms started to blare and howl.

"Levy!? What the hell was that!?" Mira shouted as she tried to pick herself up. The vessel shook again, emitting a new wave of klaxons as the bridge became enshrouded with red light.

"I…I don't know!" The scientist shouted back, her hand gripping a console as she tried to pull herself up. Managing to complete the task as the ship shook and pitched, Levy stared at the closest screen.

It was navigation…and the situation was bad. Really bad. Bathed in crimson light as alarms continued to screech, Levy managed to stay standing as the ship pitched.

"Fuck…FUCK! THIS IS NOT GOOD!" Levy shouted in a hint of panic. Glancing at the dimensional time reader strapped to her left wrist, her face went pale as her vision raced across the screen.

"What is it!?" Nicole shouted, her stance steady as the ship seemed to stabilize…for the moment. The bow lightly dipped, angling closer to the world below as the decking shuddered and groaned.

"IT'S THE ENGINE'S! THEY'VE GONE OFFLINE! AND WE ONLY HAVE…" Levy gulped at the dwindling time stamp across the screen as the klaxons continued to howl. "TWENTY FUCKING MINTUES TO RELIGHT THEM OTHERWISE WE WILL GET SCATTERED ACROSS THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE!" McGarden turned, practically grabbing Nicole before getting face to face with her.

"Get us to the fucking engine room!"

"R…Right! This way!" The medical officer stumbled, moving toward the bridge doors as the alarms continued to blare and cry.

'_**Thunk! Thunk!'**_

Mira turned, her hair almost crimson in the illumination as her eyes settled on the forward window past the pilot stations…and gulped deeply. The nano-armored glass that could withstand light debris impacts had cracked…spiderwebbing across the face…and the cause was right on the other side.

"IT'S A BRUTE!" Mira screamed, her voice almost going raw as the nightmarish abomination suctioned to the exterior glass. The monster screamed outside, the soundwaves lost as it punched again…and the spiderwebs grew. She could hear them…the telltale sounds of crackling and splintering before she turned and ran. Cradling her lancer to her armored chest, Mira practically pushed Heather through the doorway as Nicole and Levy started to pull it shut.

'_**CRACK! ….WHOOOOSHHHH!'**_

The bridge window shattered into a million shard's, the glass pouring into the vacuum as the oxygen rushed like a hurricane into the depths of space. The brute climbed through, ignoring the miniscule damage from flying shards as the women pushed with all their might to close the door.

"COME ON! DON'T LET IT GET THROUGH!" Heather screamed with fear, her muscles screaming as she pushed against the heavy alloy.

Normal Face tumbled, his smaller body pulled by the suction of lost air through the door gap. Striking a console, his gloves gripped the side as his rage started to build. Blinking slowly as the Brute stepped heavily and tore up some of the flooring, the strange watermelon knew what he had to do.

"FEAR NOT MISS LEVY! I WILL SLAY THIS BEAST…IN SPACE! RAGE MELON!"

Levy didn't hear him in the slightest as the four women shut the double blast doors and locked it, completely ignoring the words of the strange fruit. Launching itself forward, he joined battle with the Brute among the strobing alarms and warbling klaxons…

"Hurry! To the tram!" Levy shot out, her voice a snap as she left her strange creation behind. Running down the hall the way they had come earlier, the four women passed dead necromorphs…and pieces of the crew.

"I'm sorry about your…strange melon!" Heather gasped, her muscles hefting the large saw as they ran down the next hallway toward the tram terminal.

"It's fine! He can breathe in space! I just don't want to burn up in the atmosphere!" Levy barked back. Reaching the vehicle, the group poured in as the ship bucked again. A power surge erupted from a wall panel, sparking across the platform as the door hissed shut.

Brennan moved to the controls, the computer recognizing her rig as a line of blue lights ran up her back in sections.

"_How did I miss those?" _Mira idly asked herself before she took another look out the window. Two Slashers had appeared…joined by one of those horrid babies on the platform. But…they were already moving…gliding across the maglev rails toward engineering as an uncomfortable silence took over them all…

It took five minutes for them to reach their destination…five minutes of valuable time as the tram capsule slid to a stop at the platform. Sliding open with a hiss, Levy and Mira were the first ones out as the area was bathed in red light.

It appeared the whole ship was in a state of emergency as Heather pointed past the terminal doorway.

"I know the way. My roommate worked in engineering"

"Good" Mira assented as she moved first, her heavy boots lost among the others. Swinging wide through the entranceway on the right, Mira fired as a Slasher loomed ten feet away. The bullets tore through the dead muscle…severing the arms in moments as the female Gear sent one final shot through the head. It collapsed in a pile…the ichor mixing in with the shadows of red as the four moved swiftly down the corridor.

Taking the next corner to the left at the end of the hall, all four stopped…almost slipping on the slickness coating the plated floor. Standing on the raised ramp, the four knew what they had stepped in as their boots came away sticky.

"My god…the engineering crew…must've been slaughtered" Brennan whispered in horrified disgust as her eyes took in the cavernous work bay. Stretching a full one hundred yards with multiple ramps leading to different work sections on either side, this was where most of the specialists wielded their craft of knowledge.

But now…now it was bathed in the crimson of blood…the arcs of spatter splayed across screens and consoles. Pieces of people lay everywhere among entrails, the shadows of the emergency lights making it more sinister as they pulsed above. And the monsters gathered? At least two dozen Slashers along with others just as horrific. Some of them had their chest cavities open, displaying lungs filled with yellow liquid as their slack jaws gasped in the light.

"The Flashpoint engine is just beyond…right through those doors" Heather whispered with a heavy gulp as she pointed.

Following the finger, Levy could see them…the heavy blast doors that was their destination.

'_**Hurgk! Hurgk!'**_

One of the necro's with the exposed lungs reared its head back…then spit a large globule of sizzling acid toward the group. It arced…then landed behind with a splash of deadly acid.

"Take them out! We don't have time for this shit!" Levy yelled as she ran left with Heather. Taking cover behind a low line of consoles streaked with dried gore, the two could hear all the screams of the Slashers. Another globule of deadly acid struck their cover, hissing against the consoles at the base of the ramp.

"Heather! You make sure none sneak up on us! Got it!" Levy barked as she popped up. Setting her L.M.G. on the top surface, the woman was distinctly aware of Mira and Nicole firing from the opposite side of the ramp.

Strauss sent a dozen rounds into the closest Puker, the bullets tearing through the exposed sac lungs as the bile flowed from the holes. The monster screamed while dying, the ruin too much to bear as the woman ducked down. Another of those…acid flingers had fired, sending another diseased ball of decay their way.

It splashed against the nearby flooring, drops flying in every direction. A few hit her boots, sizzling on the surface as Mira frantically tried to kick them off.

"Water! Use water!" Nicole shouted as she leaned around the corner and fired her pistol. The bullets crackled through the air, striking a Slasher as it charged forward. The chest damage was minimal…merely stunning the abomination before it surged again. Mira frantically unscrewed her canteen, splashing the cool liquid on her boots to dispel the acid eating through the leather.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the Gear grasped a grenade off her belt and prepared to throw.

'_**BBbrrrpppp!'**_

"DIE!" Levy screamed over the thundering gunfire of her machine gun, the aperture flashing as each 7.62 mm round screamed through the air. Tinkling of falling brass echoed under the noise among the burning blue tracers as the scientist tacked across the room. One of the Pukers was severed in half, the body unable to hold up to such firepower. Falling separately to the side, three more Slashers were claimed as the munitions tore into them.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Mira screamed, her arm arcing as she threw the explosive. Landing at the feet of the final Puker…who was standing on a severed human's arm, it was only a brief second.

'_**BOOOM!'**_

The abomination literally exploded into a hundred pieces of meat, the ichor slapping against the other horrors as shrapnel rendered dead flesh. Two more of the Slashers were heavily damaged, both losing legs as they started to crawl forward on their bladed arms.

Snapping gunfire severed the limbs at the shoulder, ending the two as Mira popped the empty mag. Swiping it out for a fresh one, the women could now fight continuously against the surge of Slashers.

"Shoot their limbs! It's their only weak point!" Nicole shouted as her pistol jumped in her hands. Having struck one of them, the woman fired again as the lead tore into the dead flesh of the necromorph charging across the deck. A heavy fusillade tore into it, destroying muscle and bone in a heartbeat. Levy traced back across the room, the heavy rounds taking a murderous toll as the two travelers fired and fired.

In a minute the fight was over, leaving only the shattered dead as some tried to crawl and wiggle toward the victorious women.

Stepping from cover, Mira looked down at one of the broken survivors as it tried to pull itself toward her on one limb. The bone scrapped…hiding its struggles in the red light as the woman sneered.

"Vile…"

Plunging her chainsaw into the back, the blades spun and split flesh as it flew across her boots.

Gulping, Heather approached another of the broken slashers…and swiped her plasma saw through the midsection. It burned…leaving the stench of rotten meat and pork in her nostrils. It made her sick just thinking about it.

"Don't bother with them all. We have bigger concerns" Levy commented as she switched out the large box magazine with her spare. _"I'll have to hit up Erza for bullets…can't believe I've burned through half of my ammo"_

Moving across the cavernous room as the four avoided the…forgotten entrails of the dead, they soon stood before the doors. They recognized Nicole's Rig as a medical officer, the built in computer recognizing the woman as essential personnel.

Easing open, the room beyond was bathed in crimson red as a slasher turned a mere arm's length away. Its dead eyes reflected like the devil…and it slashed at Heather in a mad swipe to kill.

"AHHH!" The woman screamed in horror as she raised the plasma saw defensively. The tool hissed and crackled, energy brimming down the three foot length as she managed to cut through the blade just in time. It severed, flying past her head before hitting the deck with a low clatter. "You…BASTARD!" The Ore Specialist cried out as she swung, the buzzing burning the air. Cutting through the midsection of the Necromorph, blood sprayed in a horrid arc across her workers uniform as her chest heaved from exhaustion. The two halves fell, the brutalized ends almost burned shut as small wafts drifted upward.

"Damn…that is one serious buzzsaw. Where did you find it?" Mira asked Heather.

The dirty blonde looked at her, an eyebrow cocked as she wiped a few droplets of gore away. "It's equipment my section uses. Sometimes we need to size the blocks of rock for smelting…this does the jobs for those stubborn ones that don't fit"

"That's nice and all, but we can brag about our equipment later" Levy said with a scowl as she stepped into the engine room proper. A large window loomed before them, showing the defunct engine beyond as it lay silent. It stretched tall…several stories tall as a few emergency lights pulsed inside the sealed room. Below the window was a line of consoles, their screens lit up with alarms and data. To either side were ramps leading upward, most likely as service catwalks to the Shockpoint drive.

Standing at the center console, Levy briefly eyed a sealed door to her right. It was heavy…the direct path to the engine room if it could be unlocked. Cursing at her wandering mind, Levy studied the readout with a grim scowl. Bathed in crimson light, she knew minutes were running out quickly.

"Lev? How bad is it?" Mira asked with uncertainty. Constantly on the lookout for more monsters, her stance was…stressed as a few whispers burned through her head.

"_Kill them all…"_

The demon ignored the voices.

"The engines are out of fuel"

"We should be able to reach the pumps from these catwalks. I'm pretty sure they're at the end of each one" Heather supplied, her blue eyes darting back and forth. The ship shuddered again…but she held fast as rasps clawed at her mind.

"That's not all. The Gravity Centrifuge holding up that chunk of planet you guys were planning on mining…is stuck. I have no idea how to release that massive piece of rock you guys hauled up here to lighten the load" the scientist pointed, her finger extended to the manual control station past the heavy door and armored glass beyond.

"Does it even matter at this point?" Nicole asked hurriedly. Nerves frayed, she kept imagining the slightest sound in this sinister red of glowing emergency light as a nightmare.

"Not really. All we need is a few hours. Enough to reach the shuttle bay and get off this fucking ship. After we do that, this thing can crack that planet in half for all I care" Levy snapped lightly, her ire cross. _"Such a waste of technology…"_

"Okay. I'll go with Nicole toward the left pumping station. You two take right" Mira ordered as she started to head up the ramp. The medical officer began to follow, her shoes creating a light echo across the ramp as the two rapidly disappeared.

"Don't get killed by something stupid!" Levy shouted before sighing. _"I really hope Kagura is near the hanger…we don't have time to search this whole ship for her"_

"Come on, Heather. Let's get this shit done" Heading up the right most ramp, Levy kept her weapon leveled…her breath shallow as she swung around the first corner. It headed left, running parallel with the route Mira and Nicole had taken.

Hearing the telltale buzz of the plasma saw, the shorter woman was distinctly aware of the blue glow striking the dirty walls around her. Bathed in crimson, both kept a steady pace despite how…utterly silent the corridor was.

"So…uh…were did you two come from? You're not normal rescue"

"Quiet" Levy barked in a whisper. Tightening her grip, she thought something had moved up ahead. The shadows shifted fifty feet away…almost coming alive near a lift of some sort.

Her foot landed in something…sticky. Looking down, the mage saw a patchwork of strands. Almost like spiderwebs, the covered the metallic floor like a spiderweb. Taking another step, she found her movement slowed by this…corruption.

"Ew…what is this stuff?" Heather asked, her voice filled with disgust. Looking around, she saw thicker strands covering the walls as she followed this strange woman. _"Whoever they are…I'm just glad they're here. It was only a matter of time until we would be found and killed"_

"Nothing good. I suggest you don't touch it" McGarden instructed as she neared the source of movement near the control lift. What she discovered…would've made her vomit if she was used to such things. It was a person. Practically fused to the tendril coated wall. They covered his body…some of the flesh colored vines actually going through his torso to hold him in place. His head lolled to the side, eyes pleading for help as the unfortunate man stared in silent agony.

"Pl…please…"

"Oh god…we have to help him!" Heather yelled, recognizing the poor engineer as Ray Stantz.

"Yeah…" Pulling her side arm, Levy shot the man in the head, ending his life in a brief moment. The brass hit the deck, clattering once before getting stuck in the web of corruption. Holstering the weapon, the scarred woman stepped onto the lift as Heather ran forward, anger crossing her eyes.

"WHY! Why did you do that!?"

Hitting the button to raise the lift, Levy stared back at the female as they started to rise. "He was already dead. That thing…there was nothing to be done"

"But we could've cut him down! Get him to medical! We could have—"

Levy got in her face, the emergency lights casting shadows across her scar. "IF YOU HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN, WE ARE MINUTES AWAY FROM PASSING THE POINT OF NO RETURN! WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SAVE SOMEBODY ALREADY DEAD!"

"But…Nicole could"

"No…The only way we survive is by getting this engine relit…and making it to the hangar. Grab a shuttle and get off this deathtrap. But hey, go ahead and try to save the tormented remains of your crew. I'm sure they'll appreciate it once you burn up in re-entry" Levy snapped, silencing the woman as the lift stopped.

Flesh slithered across steel…a slow hiss of horror that drew the attention of both women to the abomination plastered to the rightmost wall. If it had been a person…there was no resemblance at all now. A gathering of bags of organs and muscle, it was secured in place with the corruption that decorated the entire area. Four limbs shifted and wiggled in the dead air, their silence unnerving as Levy took a small step forward.

Eyes squinting, she saw the emergency lever to get the fuel flowing again. It was down, in the closed position as a crimson light burned from underneath the spiderweb of skin and muscle that was…everywhere.

"That's the fuel station…" Heather whispered as she started to walk forward toward the console. Feeling herself pulled back, the woman let out a small gasp of protest…just as one of those wriggling tendrils from that wall…guardian sliced the air.

It hissed, a deadly scythe of bone that would've cut her face clean off as Levy sneered.

"Of course it's deadly…"

Eyes like saucers, Heather gulped deeply as her hands shook from the close call. Staring back at the flailing entrail in the air, the ore specialist could see it…the viscous bone blade as it swirled in the bathing crimson light.

Levy snapped her weapon to her shoulder, the stock pressed tight before firing into the mass of the chest cavity. It was the source of these tentacles…an obvious weak spot. Gunfire hammered, lighting up the walls as heavy rounds tore the muscle inside.

The guardian screamed…an unholy sound like infected nails on a chalkboard as Levy sent a few more bullets into the opening for good measure.

Intestinal tendrils fell dead, their forms slumping downward as the beast seemed to…_sag_ down the wall in death. Lowering her weapon, Levy moved to the fuel lever before grasping the handle. Squeezing the release grip, it clicked against the main shaft as the woman pushed upward.

"Ung….Damn! It's stuck!" McGarden cursed, her arms tensing from the exertion. Breathing deeply, she tried again as it moved minutely upward. _"Stupid short height!"_

"Make room" Heather butted in, her hands gripping the shaft as both women strained. The contagion fought…trying to keep it in place….but webbing was snapping as both grit their teeth and planted their feet.

"Grrr! COME ON!" Levy shouted, her body shuddering as she pushed upward with Heather.

'_**Thunk!'**_

The lever made it upward with a loosening of machinery, opening the flow of fuel as both females took a light breather for a few precious moments.

"Okay. Let's get this engine lit. Hopefully Mira and Nicole didn't have any issues" the scientist stated as she wiped her brow. Studying Heather as she picked up her plasma saw in silence, both humans made their way back to the lift…

Mira stood by the manual control station, her weapon gripped tight. A few fresh pieces of dead skin and muscle were among the teeth, the recent stabber having been the latest victim near the pump controls. Knowing her Gear armor was a patchwork of gore and spatters of unknown liquids, Strauss kept a lookout with Nicole as Levy and Heather struggled to flip that main lever.

"Need help? After all, your kinda short" the demon teased lightly, trying to lift the mood. The ship shuddered, flickering the emergency lights as the medical officer kept a wary eye on the access door twenty feet away. Their only exit, they didn't need to become trapped.

"Shut it! Now come on Heather! One! Two! THREE!" Both females pulled, putting all their weight and tired strength into the motion as the drive sat silent. It snapped into place, the manual effort successful as the towering flashpoint drive started to hum and whir. Lines of energy started to glow, signifying the surge of energy as the crimson emergency lights faded…and replaced with the flickering illumination of damaged fixtures above.

"God damn…I'm glad my job was cutting up rocks" Heather gasped as the drive crackled to full power. The ship shifted, almost jumping in place as the engines lit up the darkness outside in the void. Flowing with energy, the Ishimura escaped burning up in the atmosphere of Aegis Seven as its orbit stabilized…for the next few hours anyway. Still, the strain on some of the ships systems must've been horrible. Nevermind the fact that this vessel was still struggling to hold up several trillion tons of a small continent in orbit…and it was no surprise that some areas would be damaged…or weakened.

"Thank the Cog for that at least…" Mira relented as the four left the engine room and sealed the door. Relieved that they wouldn't become burnt embers over a dead world, Strauss made a move of her lancer. "Now…can we reach the Hangar from her-!"

The deck plating below them shifted…buckled as metal strained and tore below their feet. Breaking apart, the steel hadn't been able to bear the strain of the horrendous stresses the Ishimura had endured during the free-fall.

"AAAAUUUGHHHhhh!" The four females screamed as they fell, unable to jump clear in time. Debris followed them down thirty feet, striking the walls covered with the corruption so prevalent in engineering. Colliding and bouncing along the narrow shafts, the survivors knew this would be bad.

'_**SPLASH!'**_

The women landed in liquid. Cold…clogged with the vile odors of sewage…shit…and other horrid concoctions they couldn't identify.

"No…god…not here…" Nicole whispered in disgust as she stood up, peeling something from her suit. Trying not to gag on the horror down here, she focused on helping Heather to her feet. Standing in two feet of brackish filth, both crew-members instantly knew where they were.

"Ugh…the sewer system of the ship…" Heather gulped, her throat constricting as something brushed past her calf. Boot's already soaked, she could feel the chill among her toes. Looking at Mira and Levy with a grimace, she found both females already standing as they shone their weapon mounted flashlights down the tunnel before them.

"_Of course they're fine…they're barely fazed by any of this…nightmare"_

Mira spotted movement, her light bobbing to the left of the sewage line as the shadows jumped and scattered. Narrowing her eyes as the distant water rippled, the soldier tightened her lancer to her shoulder.

"Levy…"

"Yeah…It's probably crawling down here…"

A Slasher crossed the light beam, the familiar scythes of bone and undead flesh familiar to all as it screamed. Then another screamed…and another…and another. Soon, the tunnel was filled with the unholy wails of the necromorphs…and the women knew what they had to do.

"KILL THEM ALL!" Levy screamed out, her L.M.G. flashing in the darkness as the first monsters surged through the shit, garbage, and unknown waste.

"WE PUSH THROUGH TOWARD THE HANGAR! NO MATTER WHAT! FIGHT IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!" Mira unleashed in almost a feral roar as the woman shot a limb off. Ducking low as the second arm cut the vile air, it wouldn't have a second chance as the telltale sounds of a chainsaw bounced off the walls. Gore sprayed, covering her chest-plate as the white haired woman pressed forward with the other survivors in a mad fight to reach their destination…

**Two hours later…**

* * *

Kagura lifted herself up, arms beyond tired as dried viscera splattered her vac-sealed suit. Hefting a leg onto the jammed lift stuck between floors, she let out a small grunt of exertion. Rolling onto the lightly tilting platform, her gloved fingers pulled at the horrific sprawl of webbed flesh that seemed to be everywhere now. Flinging it away, the material landed in the corner…then simply rejoined the contagion crawling through the ship. Feeling her boots suction as she stood up, all the mage could do was ignore it as some larger tendrils shifted. Following the strands upwards, the woman found them leading to the deck above as several bodies of the crew seemed to be glued to the elevator shaft. They hung still…mutating in place as the lower legs seemed to be…eaten by this spiderweb of horror. One let out a low moan…a painful existence as Kagura looked away.

"I really hate this place…"

Finding the emergency ladder along the left wall, the woman didn't even contemplate wasting valuable ammunition on the hanging corpses. Yes…she knew what they would become. Hell, the last two hours had been a nightmare fueled battle against the scourge of this place…but she was almost there.

Glancing up as a few lights flickered and burned above, Kagura knew…she knew this was the right path to Erza and the hanger to escape. Grasping the first rung, she deftly climbed before pulling herself onto the next level. Readying her rifle, she was waiting as her eyes tracked for threats in the wide corridor.

Distant gunfire.

The sounds bounced and careened, almost reverberating along the hallway covered with more of the contagion. It had grown thicker here…spreading across doorways and covering light fixtures that glowed like diseased skin. A few body parts were noticed…but dismissed as Kagura moved forward.

"Survivors? Maybe Erza?" Kagura asked herself as she moved toward the source. More gunfire…monstrous screams ringing from the cavernous opening fifty feet away on the right. Heavy doors flung open as more of that vile webbing crisscrossed the surface, Kagura felt tense as more sounds of battle raged from beyond.

'_**Clatter!'**_

An air grate tumbled free, falling to the floor as a trio of those nightmarish infants crawled out. Their arachnid legs dug into the ceiling, supporting them as they hung loosely above. They wailed, the sound deeply disturbing to the woman before the first started to move toward her.

"I release you from your torment…" Kagura told them softly. Aiming upward, her lancer erupted as bullets stitched across the first one's body. Ripping through the strange…joining of the sac on it's back, the undead baby found the spider limbs severed. Falling to the floor with a horrendous _**splat**_, the gravity mage found herself rolling as deadly spines flew from the remaining duo.

Kneeling in a crouch, the soldier fired upward once more. Four rounds tore through another infant's head, splattering the ceiling in chunks of gore as the body fell. Looking at her with horrendously pale eyes devoid of life and innocence, the last lurker shifted…crawling rapidly across the ceiling toward Kagura.

'_**WWaaaaaa…'**_

The wail of the last one made her spine crawl with horror. These things…were a crime against life.

"_To destroy such innocence…"_ the woman briefly thought before she rolled once more to avoid attack. One of the spines struck her left shoulder, battering the armored joint as pain flared along the appendage. Gritting her teeth hidden within her helmet, Kagura let another fusillade of gunfire fly toward the target.

It died under the damage, the last wails fading as she stood up. Trying to rub the area that would probably bruise later, she hurried toward the hangar just beyond. Sliding up to the wall, she peered into the cavernous room as a few tracers flew across the large bay.

Bodies…dozens upon dozens of Slasher bodies littered the decking, their forms torn by heavy gunfire. Scanning to the right, her eyes finally locked onto the massive artifact standing erect at the far end of the bay. It twirled and twisted…covered with red runes as a damaged shuttle sat fifty feet away. And right below it…two women firing at the last few necromorphs as they screamed and howled.

It was Erza and the security chief if Kagura had to guess. And they had been busy judging by the broken bodies of the dead around them. Watching as the security officer killed one of the last few monsters, Kagura found it odd that these things didn't advance past a certain point.

"_This whole time…these horrors have been attacking…trying to rip us apart…and they just stop right before those two by that monolith?"_

The last Slasher fell, courtesy of Scarlet as silence retook the hanger. Stepping through the threshold, Kagura called out.

"Erza! Don't shoot me okay!?"

Scarlet glanced to her left, spotting the woman as she emerged from the open doorway on the left. But her guard quickly lowered as she smiled. Covered in the upgraded space armor attached to the standard Gear plates, the knight studied the helmet covered in black vision slits.

"Kagura?" she asked as the female approached them. Getting a closer look…the woman looked to have fought through hell based on the abrasions, scratches, and sheer amount of viscera coating her form.

"Yeah…I made it" Kagura said with relief as she felt a gloved hand rest upon her shoulder from the scarlet haired female.

"I'm relieved you survived. I'm sorry I didn't reach you in time" the female explained before stepping back. "I also have some good news. Natsu just left to go find Levy and Mira. He told me to clear the hanger of threats and to start repairs on that shuttle" the knight smiled. It wavered…becoming lightly annoyed as she turned toward the empty space on her right.

"No…your murderous intent is not welcome here!"

Alissa marched forward, grasping Kagura's arm before pulling her away from Scarlet…who was still talking to the empty air.

"She's being affected by the Marker…we need to leave this ship if you hope to save your friend from madness. If she had a weaker mind…she would've probably killed herself for this alien scourge already. It's what happened to a member of my team earlier…he went completely mad and killed another right before my eyes"

"What can we do?" Kagura asked softly as she watched her friend out of the corner of her eye. Talking on the radio now, she was communicating with Natsu as a warm smile graced her lips.

Pointing toward the damaged shuttle nearby, Alissa spoke seriously. "That is our only way off this ship. All the life pods launched early so that's it. But that gaping hole above the pilot's station? We won't last a minute in hard vacuum…and I doubt we can find enough suits for everybody"

"Can we fix it?" The gravity mage inquired as the ship shuddered and groaned under their feet.

Walking toward the small craft, Alissa stepped inside with the solider. Leaving Erza alone to talk with Natsu, both knew the woman would need help later on if this effect was permanent.

Pointing at the tear in the hull above the pilot seat, Kagura could tell something had burst out. The metalwork was curled…pointing upward like a puckered wound as the security officer spoke once more.

"We need to cut away this damaged hull…then weld a new piece in place. We only have an hour before the weight of that asteroid pulls us down to the planet…even with the engines burning"

"How do you know that?"

"Security Chief. I have clearance to access almost all the ships systems during an emergency…and this count's as one"

"Then we better get started" Kagura said with haste as she followed the survivor back to the hanger proper…and a nearby equipment station that held numerous repair and welding supplies…

**Crew Quarters…Shower and Locker Room. Twenty Minutes until Point of No Return**

Steam lingered in the main shower area, dew and moisture clinging to the tiled walls…as rivulets of blood splatter flowed downward. Running toward a drain set in the floor, the viscous liquid flowed around a severed arm still clutching a bar of soap.

The necromorph's had slaughtered the workers bathing during the past day, leaving a trail of severed limbs and bits of viscera everywhere in their mad spree of murder. The shower heads continued to flow, pouring a jet of pressurized water downward despite the lack of life.

Toward the back near the numerous bathroom stalls, a pile of intestines coiled and snaked along the cool floor. Barely attached to the lower body of a man, the legs and exposed buttocks were pale and slick with rigor mortis. The nearby stall door was covered in gore, the last traces of the crewman as it slowly dripped down the surface.

The floor cracked near the stall, buckling upwards…then split by the burning plasma of a saw blade. It jutted upward, cutting through the decaying strands of intestine with ease as the monstrous heat hummed and popped. Moving right, the glowing blade buzzed as it started to cut a large, rectangular hole in the floor.

Falling away in moments, a pair of hands appeared…then a dirty blonde head. The left cheeks splattered with fresh ichor, Heather pulled herself up with annoyed grunt of exertion. The heavy mining saw clattered against the tile nearby as she released it temporarily, sounding like a dinner bell. Rolling onto her stomach, the ore specialist extended a hand down into the darkness as shouts and gunfire echoed.

"HERE! GIVE ME YOUR HAND!"

Gloved fingers reached up, dirty and slick with filth as Heather grasped it. Pulling with all her might, she was distinctly aware of mutated, undead feet lumbering from the mist enshrouded showers.

White hair emerged…the familiar features of Mira as sludge creased down the scar above her left eye. Muscling her way upward, the demon was practically coated with the stink of sewage while rolling to the side of the fresh hole.

"God damn! That place is crawling with those fuckers!" Mira shouted in grim anger. Hearing Levy and Nicole shouting below as more sounds of fighting reached them, Strauss was momentarily distracted by bone scrapping on tile behind her. Glancing over her shoulder as she lay prone, her vision went wide.

A Pregnant heaved out of the heated condensation, the swirling vapor flowing around the hideous bulk. Mandibles hung from the mouth, the lower jaw gone among a mass of dead flesh. Large blades glistened with dried viscera…some dripping to the floor as the large belly seemed to swell like a blister.

"Help the others up! I got this!" Heather cried out. Scooping up her plasma saw, the super-heated blade of blue sprang back to life. Running forward with a low cry, the female ducked low as the beast swiped. Blade hissing over her back, Heather cut through the right leg like a knife though decaying butter.

Starting to tumble, the monster landed on it's back like a turtle. Stabbing up at the moist air with cries of anger, the scythes continued to slash and weave as it tried to re-assert itself to kill the survivors. Realizing it couldn't, the bulbus creature started to cut at the sac it sported in a bid to release the smaller necromorph's inside.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Heather screamed in fury as she stood above the nightmare…and plunged the plasma blade into the sickly stomach. Flesh burned and stank…severing and splitting the horrors within. Stepping back, she severed the horrific limbs to ensure its death as the bone scythes clattered to the shower floor. Taking a deep breath of oxygen that wasn't thick with particles of shit, Heather knew she planned on showering for a whole week if she survived this nightmare. Taking a defensive stance for the moment near Mira, she kept a lookout for more of the abominations as the others climbed up.

"Fuck…fuck fighting through that entire sewer of monsters and shit!" Levy ranted as she dropped a grenade into the hole. Knowing it wouldn't kill everything down there, she had to hope it would slow them down. Her radio crackled, hissing as the distant explosion burst fifty feet below.

"Kagura? …What do you mean we have less than twenty minutes? …alright. We're moving now. Don't fucking leave without us, got it!" Already moving, the shorter female didn't even acknowledge the dried ichor and sewage coating her armor…or the smell that had soaked into her clothes.

"_Two hours…two hours of running…fighting…killing in the pits of this ship. I'll need to make sure we don't catch anything…" _Nicole told herself as the group moved out of the locker room and into another hallway devoid of life. Giving an involuntary shudder of a crewman that had been…disemboweled near the door, the medical officer turned left.

"This way. The shuttle hanger should be a straight shot from here" the blonde informed the group as she gripped the pistol in her tired hands. Dirty and filthy, she knew this ordeal was almost over as the four started to run past the crew quarters.

Many had the doors torn open…dried gore reflecting under dying lights as the crew caught inside had been systematically butchered. Sprinting past several over the next few minutes, the women heard the disturbed grunts and howls of the infected.

A slasher burst from a room, the door already ripped asunder. Gunfire rattled, Mira's lancer handling the task as the monster flailed under the barrage of bullets. Running past the flailing body, the demon didn't even give the satisfaction of killing the beast completely.

The Ishimura shuddered…tilting heavily for a moment as alarms started to scream again. The four stumbled, Levy tripping and hitting the decking hard. Crying out from the surprise blow, she felt herself being hauled to her feet in moments.

"Get your ass moving! Or do you want to die here!" Mira shouted. Howls and screams followed them…and the tearing of bulkheads as something…_big _pursued the warm flesh of their bodies.

"That's my line!" Levy shot back as they ran…and ran. A few Slashers tried to strike them down…to take their lives but the hardened survivors would be having none of that as they dealt with them almost easily at this point with massed gunfire or the buzzing of saws.

"THERE! THE HANGER!" Nicole pointed toward the open doorway on their left. The area was deserted thankfully, making the approach almost easy.

'_**RRROOOOOOARRRR!'**_

The ear shattering bellow of the monster tearing through the hull behind them didn't slow them down…in fact it sped them up as the four rounded the corner into the hanger bay.

"WHATEVER IT IS…DON'T BOTHER FIGHTING IT!" Mira screamed as she spotted Erza and another red headed woman standing near the open door of the shuttle. Kagura was on top, frantically welding the final touches as the arc light burned with ozone.

"Come on! Hurry!" Alissa urged with a wave of her hand to the other survivors. Hearing another horrifying roar coming from the entranceway across the cavernous space, her blood ran cold. Recognizing Nicole and Heather, the security chief knew a small modicum of relief despite the situation.

"_At least a few of the crew made it…"_

The ship shook…and not because of the decaying orbit. Eyeing a large…clawed paw emerging from the hallway beyond, Alissa knew they were out of time.

"KAGURA! WE HAVE TO GO!"

"Grrr…DONE!" The woman practically yelled as the truly gargantuan brute poked its head into view. Crouching down as the armored plated beast tried to pass through the large doorway…it let out another deadly roar of vileness.

Jumping off the roof, Kagura was about to throw herself through the door…but Erza wasn't moving from her spot.

"_Stay Erza…stay with us…"_

Scarlet raised an arm, her face showing a small smile as Natsu stood before her. His heavy armor with numerous gouges and scratches…the tired eyes and vertical scar marring his face. It was him. "Natsu…we have to go"

"I can't Erza…this place…it needs us both. Will you stay with me?"

"Of course…you're the man I love…" Taking a step forward, the scarlet knight reached for his hand….but was pulled away by Kagura and Mira toward the waiting shuttle. Her eyes went wide…the betrayal making her scream and kick to escape their clutches.

"NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! NATSU NEEDS ME! HE NEEDS ME TO STAY!" Scarlet screamed, her voice cracking with anguish.

"That's not him, Erza! This place is fucking with your head! If you stay, you'll die!" Mira shouted at her friend as they tried to pull her through the door. Sneering her teeth as the woman struggled, the demon could see the brute tearing at the entranceway a hundred feet away.

"I DON'T CARE! IT'S NATSU! NATSU! HELP ME!" Erza cried as she reached for her boyfriend standing near the marker.

"Your too weak Erza…can't even escape from Mira and Levy to claim your rightful place at my side…" the man rasped, his hard eyes boring into her chocolate orbs.

"NNNOOO! DON'T SAY TH-!"

Levy punched her friend in the back of the skull, sending her into unconsciousness as her form crumpled.

"Get her strapped in" McGarden ordered Mira as she closed the hatch. Hearing it hiss as it closed, the woman was already running toward the co-pilot's seat. Buckling the harness, the dirty and exhausted blunette cast an eye toward Heather Taft as she flipped several switches under the lit up consoles. The engines sprang to life, blowing out a plume of flame. Thrusters picked up the shuttle, the craft already swinging toward the closed hangar doors to the void beyond.

"You know how to fly this bucket?"

"…Kinda?" Heather shrugged as she input the command signal to retract the doors. Studying the hasty repair job, the woman silently prayed it would be enough. She did not want to asphyxiate in the cold of space over a dead world.

A howl of anger and tearing metal drew the two pilots eyes across the bay as the monstrous brute finally tore through the blockage. Rearing back as it started to build up an acidic attack, the horror would not let the human's escape death.

The reinforced hanger doors finally started to open, the rush of oxygen gusting outward as Heather moved the steering stick. The shuttle jounced on the thrusters…but swung toward the expanse beyond.

"HANG ON TO YOUR BUTTS!" Heather cried as she increased the throttle…and the craft shot into the void just as the Brute flung the attack. Acid flying, it splashed harmlessly across the deck plating as the human's escaped with mere moments to spare.

Groaning under the thrust, Kagura and Alissa kept looking at the patchwork repair job keeping them alive.

"_Please hold…"_ multiple survivors prayed as they sped away from the Ishimura. Yanking on the stick as several readout's flared, Heather turned toward the ship several miles away in the empty void.

The Ishimura was falling. The tethered asteroid was already burning up in the atmosphere, pulling the mining vessel with it as pieces started to fall and fly away. Broken and leaking air in some places, Heather and Levy could see the damage it had taken.

"What…the hell is that thing on the comm array?" Alissa inquired, her vision locked onto some…sort of giant slug as the tentacles wavered in the dead of space.

"Not our fucking problem" Levy whispered as she unscrewed a small flask. Drinking deeply of the burning rum , she continued to watch the craft fall toward the planet. Passing it to Heather, the mining specialist helped herself as Levy sighed.

"What a fucking nightmare…" the scientist uttered.

"Hey Levy? How much time do we have?" Kagura inquired from the back. Keeping watch over Erza, the gravity mage knew this place had been a trial for all of them. Stroking the woman's red hair, she promised to try and heal Erza's hardships of this…nightmare of horror. Scarlet groaned lightly…the closed eyelids shifting under scattered dreams as Kagura kept a silent vigil.

"A few minutes"

"A few minutes until what?" Nicole asked. Rubbing her shoulder tentatively, the medical officer had taken a blow in the sewers of the ship…but had managed to avoid death down in those disgusting depths.

"Until we shift to a new universe. I just wish we didn't have to leave Normal Face on that dead ship" Levy replied nonchalantly with a shrug.

"Um…what? That's imposs—" Nicole started to argue.

'_**THUD!'**_

A green orblike creature hit the heavy windscreen, the arms and legs outstretched like a starfish while white eyes peered in at the human's. Alissa jumped back, fear etched across her face at this new horror. _"Why does it look like a watermelon!?"_

"_Miss Levy! I succeeded in defeating that sub-creature! Unfortunately, our battle took us to the exterior of the ship! I apologize for not reuniting with you sooner!"_

"Huh…I guess he's coming with after all…" Levy said offhandedly as the timer on her wrist counted down the seconds. Body beginning to glow, the quantum particles connected to the small craft and all those on board…including the watermelon plastered to the window.

"Wha…WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?" Alissa screamed. Watching as the blue's and yellows grew brighter and brighter from the four soldiers, she wasn't answered before the shuttle blinked out of existence.

Below…Aegis Seven began to crack as the asteroid impacted the planet…sowing ruin and cataclysmic destruction while the alien marker tumbled out of the Ishimura…and into…Dead Space.

**Holy crap! That was a big chapter! And hard to write too since there was no maps to look up! So if you readers have an issue with layouts…you try writing a chapter lol. Still, I hope you all enjoy this one. Is it scary? Not sure since I wrote it…but I'm sure Erza will be a little… **_**off. **_**At least for awhile. Anyway. By the time this is posted, you should've been able to enjoy the second part of DxD! And I'll be working on some COG next since that needs an update. Also, check out the poll for the next chapter! Uhh..after Unknown Legion does a crossover with these survivors in Alternate Views of Earthland. I'm really looking forward to that!**

**But for now…Read, Review, and enjoy!**

**Mira: So…your seeing Natsu right now?**

**Erza: Obviously. He sees me at the best so hallucinations of him only appear to me**

**Levy: And I thought I was the crazy one…**

**Kagura: That's not something to be proud of, Erza!**

**Normal Face: I'm still outside the ship!**

**Alissa: …At least I'm alive…**


	13. Neo-Crocus

**Since I'm still unemployed because of the Wuhan/Chinese virus, I'm writing some more! And you readers better check out No Hope No Escape! That story needs some love! …because of the monsters running around in Raccoon!**

**Now, this universe will be more of a stop-off for Alissa, Heather, and Nicole since I never planned on them joining on more adventures. And speaking of which, they were in a universe written by Unknown Legion recently so check out what happens after they escaped 'Dead Space' so saying that, this is "Welcome to the new Age" by Multiverse Walker. He gave me the go ahead to stop by so…I WILL! **

**I don't own any media at all! And I'm not an all powerful cat-god**

**Chapter 13: Neo-Crocus**

* * *

**Earthland 2099-G**

**Democratic Republic of Fiore. Neo-Crocus Year 2600 January 17th**** 10:33 a.m.**

Yang Xiao Long had just finished showering, the water dripping onto the bathroom mat as she grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her nude form. Picking up the hairdryer laying on the nearby countertop, the female started to dry the long locks of blonde and pink hair that flowed down her back. Eyeing the fabric covering her large breasts, the twenty five year old soldier had finally discovered the source of why they were so large and firm.

Lucy Heartfilia.

Her long and distant ancestor that had married her grandpa, Natsu Dragneel over seventeen hundred years ago. But even with all the wars, plagues, and strife that rose and fell through the ages, her bloodline lived on…to give her these massive double D's. In some ways she was thankful for her beauty and female strength. But on the other hand…

"Men just see a pair of tits. Never mind the fact I'm a skilled and capable soldier? Or that I love the Dread and the first trilogy of 'War Gears' How about my love of rock and roll? Nope…they just see a sex object…damn men"

Sighing softly, the stunning woman eventually finished her morning routine. Stepping into her bedroom, Yang decided on something simple today. Pulling on a pair of blue jeans with matching socks, the female quickly adorned a pink tank top that matched her hair. The fabric strained against her breasts, but it was a price to pay as she opened the door to leave.

Stepping out into the main penthouse, she saw it was already lively with her grandfather's old friends. Having been frozen in time for hundreds upon hundred years, the group of former mages seemed to be in relatively good spirts. Staying here for two weeks already, Yang had been having a blast. To hear about Grandpa Natsu's early life as a young man…was just unbelievable. And she could understand why losing them had been such a hard ordeal for him all those years ago.

But now they were back and trying to learn and adjust to this new age and world without magic. Yang did feel a little bad they had lost their skills, the power in their bodies diminishing every day until it was nothing but wisps, but it was inevitable as the weeks passed. Drawn toward some light shouting and talkback, Yang approached the living room with her stupidly large television and game system.

Laxus and Gajeel were on the brown, expensive couch, playing 'War Gears' on co-op while Levy, Dimaria and Cana watched as an audience.

"Get that ammo Laxus. Who knows when your next fight against the swarm will happen!" Cana shouted in excitement.

"I know I know!" the large blonde replied as he steered the character on screen.

Apparently, video games were a huge hit with the mages since nothing like it existed in their time. Looking past the group to the large patio overlooking the city from the twentieth floor, Yang watched as Erza and Irene talked softly. Red hair blowing from the surprisingly mild winter breeze, mother and daughter were trying to learn more about each other.

"Come onnn Mira! When's breakfast gonna be ready?"

Drawn to the kitchen by the complaint, Yang studied Gildarts sitting at the island counter as the man held a fork and knife…like some helpless child. She still found it hard to believe this womanizing man was a former high powered mage and Cana's father.

"Behave yourself or you get nothing" The older Strauss woman smiled sweetly as she cooked. But that smile…held hell behind it as the man tilted his head in submission.

"I'll behave…"

"You should know better than to harass Mira when she's cooking, man" Grey commented as Juvia slid a plate of pancakes and bacon toward the former ice-mage. Surrounded by Wendy and Lisanna bustling around the large kitchen as they prepared food, the blunette was all smiles as she poured some orange juice.

"Here Grey! Juvia made you a healthy breakfast!"

"Oh…uh thanks. Just don't forget to eat some yourself" Grey reminded as the former water mage stopped in her tracks.

"Grey-sama…was concerned about Juvia. That marks eight times since we unfroze!" Grabbing her own plate, the lovable woman was sitting next to him in the literal blink of an eye.

"_How did she move that fast? Isn't her magic gone now?"_ Yang wondered as the time survivors continued to talk and enjoy the calm morning. Even Jellal and Brandish were talking in the corner, the two seemingly having a pleasant conversation.

Leaving them alone after watching for a few minutes, the female soldier and grand-daughter of Natsu padded her way back to the living room. Sitting down on the large L-shaped couch as the two males continued to play their game, Yang just felt…great with the day off.

It happened in a flash. One moment everything was fine, the next, seven women and some sort of strange…melon creature appeared in the living room among a flash of blue and yellow particles.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Gajeel roared, his eyes like saucers as the game came to a stop. Studying them all, the dragon-slayer was overcome with disbelief at who stood before him and the others. But they all ignored him. No…each one was peering down the lengths of their rifles…_assessing_ their surroundings.

Four of them were wearing heavy armor, the plate splashed with gore and blood that had dried in horrid arcs across the gear symbol in the center of the chest piece. Blue lights ran up each side of the women, a soft glow as they pointed those deadly rifles. Heavy boots along with leg and arm greaves completed the ensemble with numerous scratches and gouges marring the obviously used and worn armor. Then…the weapons. The rifles had literal chainsaws at the end, and there was strands of gristle or pieces of flesh between the teeth from obvious use.

Then there were the other three women, each one standing in combative caution as they each raised weapons. One of the blonde ones had some sort of…humming blue sawblade that crackled and hissed.

"Miss Levy! It appears we have shifted to a new world!"

Dimaria stared in shock as Erza and Irene raced in from the patio, the commotion drawing the rest as the blonde spriggan pointed.

"That watermelon just talked!"

"Ung….DAMMIT! JUST A FEW MORE MINUTES AND I COULD'VE HAD MY TIME BOMBS!" McGarden shouted in annoyed fury as she brought up her wrist mounted timer. Still scowling, she didn't even care about the stares coming her way as Levy pointed like a fish out of water.

"It's a…It's a…"

"McGarden?" How much time?" Kagura asked simply as she kept her weapon pointed at the busty woman on the couch. If she had learned anything about the multiverse…never lower your guard without reason.

"About four hours. Universe Two zero nine nine-G" the bluenette explained as she tried to wipe some blood from her cheek. Not really concerned, she turned toward the gathered crowd while pulling a pistol from a hip holster. "N.F. If any of these people try to kill me, take care of them" the scientist instructed as she cocked the gun and walked toward Laxus.

The blonde man gulped, his gaze shocked while this…double of Levy approached. But everything was wrong. The splotches of gore across her body armor…that four inch scar dragging across the left cheek...and the size of her chest. It made him wonder if he had gone mad.

"Laxus. Your going to answer my question's truthfully and without hesitation. Because if I think your lying or a threat…" McGarden leaned forward, her gaze hard and filled with hatred as she pressed the barrel of the pistol to his groin. "I will literally blow your cock off"

"You…YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Erza shouted as she stepped forward…and found a very large and deadly looking rifle pointed right at her head…by herself.

"Don't move! We have no idea what your lives were like or if you pose a threat!" Scarlet shouted, her bangs brushing past tired eyes as she glowered. That last universe had been…bad, and for all she knew, these people were evil.

A few droplets and pieces of gore dripped from the saw blades of the lancer, plopping against the floor as McGarden leaned closer to the blonde.

"Now…have you or any of the men in this room raped, enslaved or kidnapped any women?"

Laxus shook his head fervently side to side, his voice cracking from the weapon pointed at his member. "No! Of course not!"

"Are any of you cannibals or perform human sacrifices?"

"NO WAY! WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT!?" Gajeel roared in support…until the other Mira aimed the weapon at him with horrifying ease.

"Last question. Are you planning on spying on me if I shower?"

"WHAT KIND OF INTERROGATION IS THIS!?" Laxus roared in a surprised shout at the odd question. Feeling the gun pull away from his crotch moments later, the man was not ashamed to breathe a heavy sigh of relief as his palms shook.

"Miss Levy! I believe these are 'normal' versions of your friends. They don't seem to be much of a threat unlike the universe where the mutated wildlife tried to skin us all alive!"

"Yeah…probably right" Holstering the gun, the other women did the same as McGarden gave a thumbs up to her very surprised and disturbed double. "Good news! You're not a threat! So, we don't have to kill ya!"

"What the hell is wrong with you…other Levy!? Why would you even threaten Laxus in the first place!?" Cana barked, her hair almost rising as her breasts shifted below her tight shirt.

"LOTS OF STUFF! And call me McGarden! And he could be a rapist in disguise!"

"This is insane…" Mira said in mild shock as she studied her…bloodier double. Never-mind the talking watermelon. No…her twin had a scar above her left eye and just looked…mean.

"OKAY! THAT'S ENOUGH! YOU ALL APPEAR IN MY HOUSE AND AIM…VIDEO GAME WEAPONS AT ME!? THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!?" Yang shouted as she finally got her fill of craziness. Standing up, she was the definition of frustrated and angry as the soldiers before her looked at each other…then shrugged.

"The threat has passed. But for your information, these rifles are very real" Scarlet informed the busty woman nearby.

For some reason, she reminded her of Lucy…especially those large breasts of hers.

"No. Look, I don't know how you cos-players did this or the whole twin thing with Erza, Mira, and…Levy, but your wearing stuff from the 'War Gears' series of video games, see? Mark Phoenix fights the subterranean swarm" Pointing at the television behind them, the armored girls studied the screen as a swarm monster fired at the character. A familiar do-rag covered the male's head on the tv as a few bullets flew his way.

Good thing Laxus and Gajeel were playing on easy before they were interrupted.

"You mean Marcus Fenix? But I guess for a weak world such as this one, the locust horde would just be a video game…and not a real threat" Strauss informed Yang who just shook her head in frustration.

"What do you mean a weak world!? And they're called the swarm, not the locust" the female replied defiantly before she shook her head at that final statement. "What the hell do you mean 'not a real threat"

Scarlet frowned, her chocolate eyes studying the woman before she marched over with purpose.

"The simple explanation is that in our universe…on our Earthland, the locust invaded from another world. Whatever conflicts you've had…any suffering your world has endured? It is _nothing_ compared to the horror of the locust horde. While you play your little game and laugh and enjoy yourself? My Earthland was scorched to ash! Billions died! You fu—" Scarlet paused, her eyes going wide as she saw _him_ standing near Brandish and Wendy.

"Jellal…"

The man shivered, the voice like nails and carnage as Scarlet pulled her very large Boltok and cocked the hammer. Aiming it at him, the former dark mage was stupefied as the barrel loomed like a cannon.

"Don't worry other me. I'll kill him for you since you obviously let him live for unknown reasons"

"No!" Erza cried out as she sprinted, her feet pounding across the room before she stood in front of the gun. Spreading her arms wide, she stood her ground as the double sneered.

"What are you doing? MOVE!" Scarlet screamed out, her voice dripping with hatred for the male beyond.

"I will not! Your trying to kill a friend of mine for no reason!"

"Friend? Don't make me laugh. He's a monster…just like the grubs" Trying to aim past her twin, Scarlet's annoyance grew…until Wendy intervened.

"Please stop this! He didn't do anything wrong! Your still Erza right? Well Erza always does the right thing!" The younger woman shouted as the armored red-head looked her way…then sighed. Lowering the weapon, her gaze went back to Jellal as her voice echoed like the grim reaper herself.

"You get one chance. If you are a threat to myself or anybody here, I will fucking kill you without hesitation"

"Okay…" Jellal barely whispered as his balls threatened to climb inside his body to hide. He really thought he was about to die at the hands of Erza.

Finishing her statement, the woman holstered the weapon as many breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay. Everybody just take a breath and calm down" Alissa placated as she raised her hands toward her traveling companions. Her recent life had been filled with too much death and the last thing she wanted was more.

"How about I get you some towels? Your…all messy" Lisanna asked awkwardly as she looked at her soldier sister.

"Yeah…we did kill a lot of dark mages in that last universe. Cleaning up would be nice" Strauss admitted as Yang pulled her cell phone from her pants pocket.

"Who are you calling?" Grey asked as he kept a wary eye on the watermelon. It was staring at him…and barely blinking like a tiny statue. _"Why is that strange thing looking at me!?"_

"Grandpa Natsu. He'll know what to do" Yang responded with clarity as McGarden suddenly smiled.

"Natsu's here? Great! In the meantime, I need some booze!" Pulling a small flask from her belt, the scientist took a deep gulp of the liquid as it burned down her throat.

"YOU DRINK!?" Gajeel and Levy shouted, both not believing it as the scarred twin smiled.

"Obviously! How else do I deal with the mind numbing horrors of things I've seen? Therapy? Only idiots go to therapy! Oh doctor!? I have bad dreams filled with blood, screaming and piles of corpses! Please let me talk about it!" McGarden mocked before taking another swig. "Fucking useless. Especially those know it all therapists. I'll just get stronger to push it down unhealthily thank you very much. Hey Demi? Want a swig?"

"Uhh…sure?"

Taking the flask, the blonde babe helped herself.

"Hey…pretty good. Is that cherry rum?"

"Really? Let me try some" Cana asked/told before swiping the object and drank some herself.

"So, we're just going to ignore the fact they threatened us minutes ago? Or that they might be from some war torn Earthland in the multiverse?" Irene inquired as Kagura turned her way.

"Don't take it personally. We've been to some bad places. We had to take precautions. Let's just be happy nobody died or was maimed" the black haired woman shrugged as Irene sighed. Eyes tracking the version of her daughter that finally holstered that insane looking rifle, the mother of Erza was at a loss of what to do.

"This is nuts. Who knew Levy was such a lush?" Juvia commented as the strange woman drank and laughed like a loon.

"Miss Levy is a capable drinker that rivals Cana back home. She is also one of the strongest battle mages on the continent. Her wrath on the battlefield is glorious as she slays enemies!" Normal face explained to the water mage with his arms stretched upward in excitement.

"Get real…watermelon. She may look different, but Levy isn't known for battle prowess" Gildarts replied. _"Her boobs look big though. Too bad that armor is in the way"_

"I'm S-class. Achieved it with Cana during the trials" McGarden replied simply as she took her flask back from Demi…and found it empty. "AHHH! My alcohol! This is worse than that time we were almost gang-raped on that zombie infested world!"

"WHAT THE HELL KIND OF COMPARISON IS THAT!?" Gajeel shouted in shock as Levy and some of the nearby girls went pale.

"You were…what?" Brandish asked in a tremble of disgust and fear. Crossing her arms beneath her large bust covered by a green shirt, the woman knew anything like that would be a horror. Especially now that her magic was gone.

"Almost gang-raped in a diner. But don't worry, we killed those fuckers good"

"I killed the first ones with 'Strawberry' their deaths were pitiful" Scarlet informed the group as she held the gruesome baseball bat. The end wrapped in barb-wire and long nails, hair and strands of gristle were still embedded in the weapon as Scarlet gained a small smile. Oddly enough, Irene found herself nodding in agreement to the obvious callousness of this other Erza.

McGarden continued to try and wrest the last drops of rum from her flask…which distressed her creation.

"FEAR NOT MISS LEVY! I WILL FIND YOU SOME FRESH ALCOHOL!" the watermelon shouted out before he sprinted toward the kitchen on short, booted legs.

"Okay…seriously. What the heck is that thing?" Laxus asked, the male finally calmed down enough to talk after his..._interrogation._

"That's Normal-Face. Think of him as a learning computer inside a regenerating body that can't be killed" Kagura exclaimed. Studying Laxus, all he did in response was give a blank look at that statement.

Sensing somebody approaching, Kagura glanced as Erza handed her a damp towel with Yang and Irene watching suspiciously from the other side of the furnished living room.

"Here. Your kind of a mess" Erza stated in a somewhat calm tone. Taking the cloth, Kagura started to wipe off the dried blood and bits of other gore from her cheeks and hair. There was nothing to be done about the armor without a full cleaning, and with only a handful of hours in this reality…

"Thanks…"

Kagura tried to smile, but faltered as she finally looked out toward the sprawling cityscape beyond. Towering skyscrapers of steel and glass…floating billboards with neon signs advertising new products…the flying traffic of vehicles going to and fro? It was impressive.

Walking toward the open doorway, Kagura felt the mild breeze flow across her now cleaned face like a flash of sunshine. Leaving the others in the penthouse, she moved toward the edge and leaned against it with a sense of ease.

The scene was…tranquil. At least, better than the last day had been. A soft blue light adorned the left forearm greave near her wrist, the shimmer steady and set in a small button. Absentmindedly studying it, the woman nodded to herself.

"_The upgrade from the Ishimura…did it create this?"_

Three sets of footfalls came from behind, causing the female to lightly turn as Yang, Erza, and Irene joined her…most like for questions judging by their steady gaze. Glancing past their shoulders, Kagura saw Scarlet leaning against the wall with a sneer on her face and the brown eyes like daggers toward Jellal. The gear was talking to herself lowly, mumbling to the side as she kept a constant vigil of her surroundings.

"_Probably still feeling the effects of the marker. I hope they wear off soon"_

The three women stopped, studying Kagura before she turned away to study the city once more. "I'm sorry about earlier. Especially about Scarlet. Her life has not been easy"

"Is it true? Your world fights the swarm…er…locust?" Yang asked simply as her gaze studied the lancer hanging off the magnetized back plate. There was another weapon, the familiar longshot used in the games…but damn. Yang was a professional soldier. These either were the most serious cos-players she had ever seen…or the real deal.

"Yeah. I've only fought them a handful of times. But Erza? You would be sickened by the things she's seen and done. And that's just the locust battles"

"What about Jellal? Why would she try to kill him? I know he had his…rocky path, but his actions during the battle with Acnologia and his other deeds made up for the Tower of Heaven long ago" Erza asked simply while studying her long dead friend.

"Your version of Jellal probably didn't do much if that's the case" Kagura sighed, watching a flying transport cut through the bustling city before she continued to explain.

"Didn't he try to resurrect Zeref in your own world?" Irene inquired with crossed arms. Wearing a white shirt with a blue jacket and white pants, she was still a stunning beauty despite being years older than most women in the penthouse.

"Yeah…and he re-wrote the minds of Sho and Wally to be killers. He killed Org on the magic council, highjacked the Etherion canon…stabbed Erza's boyfriend Natsu through the chest, then planned on raping her before sacrificing her. It's no wonder she decapitated Jellal"

"What!? He…was going to do that to her?" Irene gasped while her head shifted to look at Scarlet….then her own daughter. While she was still getting to know Erza, the fact that blue haired man had done such a thing…it made her blood boil. Clenching a fist, her anger was palpable. "He deserved to die then…"

Shrugging, Kagura kept enjoying the sunlight of summer warmth that calmed her spirit. "We can explain more when Natsu gets here. But for now…I'd like to enjoy the peace and quiet please"

"_She sounds like an old veteran…"_ Yang concluded as she watched Kagura for a few more minutes. Erza and Irene had joined her…just watching in calmness which was fine with her.

The front door of the penthouse opened minutes later, drawing Yang to the noise as she quickly walked through the domicile. Passing the kitchen as the…watermelon stood on the counter struggling to reach the booze cabinet, the busty female strode past.

"Grandpa! This whole situation is insane! Can you please help?"

"Yeah. Just proves that my life is never dull" he said with a chuckle. striding through the domicile, he could instantly tell why his dear grand-daughter had called in a panic as his gaze took in the whole situation. Two Erza's…two Mira's and a very insane looking Levy with a light machine gun hanging off her back armor. Studying Kagura as she came in, his gaze went to the three other women that were talking idly to themselves. Having done their best to clean up, they had holstered or set down their weapons in a bid to keep the peace.

"_At least those three seem to be…normal"_

"Holy…shit" Strauss exclaimed while her gaze finally settled on the man standing in the middle of the home.

Wearing a gray suit that mixed in with the salt dotting his beard and fading pink hair, Natsu still looked good despite his advanced age. A robust strength flowed from him, barely restrained by his suit that stated…_respect._

Face marred with a few scars, the male's onyx eyes brimmed with intelligence as Strauss quickly approached with a look of mirth and desire on her lips.

"Wow…I've never seen an older Natsu before. But…" She dragged a finger up his suit, trying to incite a tease. "You still look damn good"

"He does pull off the rugged handsomeness of a distinguished man. Plus, I'm sure he can still please any woman he desires" Scarlet quipped as she closed the gap…and ran her fingertips along his arm. Gripping the appendage, the Gear was almost fervent as her brown eyes stared into his. "Please…please don't leave me again…."

Natsu felt horrible as he wriggled from the clutches of the two women, but it was glaringly obvious that the doppleganger of Erza was suffering mentally in some way. To play into that would just be cruel. Setting his metal hand on the armored woman's shoulder, he pushed her away.

"I'm sorry. But I am not your Natsu. Now if you could all take a seat and exp—"

"HEY NATSU! Wanna fuck!? I killed a lot of dark mages and monsters in the last twenty four hours and I'm all riled up!" McGarden cheered with a wave as her twin looked at her with incredulous shock.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!? YOU DON'T SHOUT THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROOM!" Levy shouted before she ran forward and ground her fist into the blunette's hair. "APOLOGIZE TO ME FOR SAYING SOMETHING SO CRAZY!"

"NOOOOO! NATSU IS WAAAY TO SEXY! YOU SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO ME FOR BEING NEAR THE RUST-BUCKET!" McGarden cried back as the two Levy's started to bop each other on the head…with Cana and Dimaria lightly chuckling. Too bad it started to annoy the busy CEO as his eyes slightly twitched.

"ENOUGH! Everybody shut up and sit down! You will explain everything and in turn, I will explain the history of this world to you. Is that fair?"

"It is" Nicole answered. Leaning against the wall as Levy and McGarden stopped their squabble, the two gave small 'hmph's!' before taking different sides of the living room.

"Well…alright. I'll tell you our story, but I'll be only going over the main points. If I told you of every universe we've seen over the years, we would be here for days" Strauss explained with a scowl. How dare Levy try to wrestle in on Natsu!

Taking a stool at the kitchen island which was thankfully in view of the living room, Strauss rubbed a hand across her neck. "Well…I guess the beginning would be best"

Starting to speak, the white haired Gear and mage told the gathered group the history of their world and subsequent war with the locust. Not only that, but of their few allied worlds as well. Suffice to say, the tale of eight-seven-seven-X was very disturbing to all along with the genocidal carnage and bloodshed Strauss, Scarlet, McGarden and to a lesser extent, Kagura had seen.

Obviously, the scarlet haired solider told them all of the sisterhood and the harem…which didn't sit well with Gajeel, Laxus and Grey. After all…this other Natsu had close to a dozen girlfriends? Not fair despite the horrors he had seen.

Finally drawing to close after a good two hours of explaining, most of the mages were pale with dread and disgust as they struggled to imagine the horrors these women had witnessed.

"I think I want to throw up…" Laxus murmured as he studied the double of Erza. _"SERIOUSLY! A LAKE OF BLOOD IN A GIANT WORM! And…the sheer slaughter this other Erza and Mira have committed…"_

"So now you're all 'shifting' from world to world uncontrolled in the hopes of making your way back home? And I…date Natsu?" Cana asked in a stunned stupor. Frankly, the worst tale had been that blood forest and the sex slave Earthland. Cana couldn't imagine such horrors. Glancing at Dimaria, the former spriggan was wondering if she could have beaten these women at full power.

"_Or maybe make them Spriggan's instead? They certainly have the skills"_

"Hmph! Nobody dates my baby girl unless I say so" Gildarts mumbled, his ire protective as Scarlet chuckled.

"You did. Natsu has proven himself worthy for your daughter…even if your opinion in her love life doesn't matter in the slightest. Frankly, she decided and he accepted. Perverted old men that look at porn mags all the time have no opinions anyway" the red-head shrugged with open palms.

"I'm not a pervert. I just appreciate the female form"

"No. You're a pervert. I've seen you ogling my breasts many times now" Irene scowled with bits of anger. If she had her magic…she would punish the orange haired man. Turning away from him, she huffed while crossing her arms beneath her sizable bust once more. _"At least I know why Scarlet was in such a state. An actual alien marker that caused rampant hallucinations? Necromorphs and blasted into the void of space? A weaker female would have perished long before"_

Still. Irene found herself respecting the soldiers. They were brutal…showing no mercy to their foes just like she had done. Compounded with their strength and skills plus survivability, Irene could see why her own double from one-thirty-seven-C was proud of the scarlet knight. She was a true warrior.

"Anyway Natsu? I believe it's your turn to explain how your world came to possess this level of technology" Kagura emphasized with a wave of her hand to encompass the home and city beyond.

"Right. So, after all of them were frozen in the time-sphere and disappeared…"

Natsu spoke for a good hour. Telling his life and marriage to Lucy, his older features seemed to glow at the memory of his long lost love and children as his voice took a hint of joy. He then explained the gradual disappearance of Ethernano from the planet and atmosphere….which led to the Age of Strife. His telling of history continued as the elder retold how the centuries passed and passed with him aging at a snail's pace. The Age of Silence…The World Wars and the Great Depression…the aging pinkette didn't leave out any detail for the visitors as his rough voice engrossed the men and women gathered.

"I was finally reunited with most of my old friends just a few weeks ago after my grand-daughter and a military force defeated Acnologia" Natsu finished. Studying the _shifters_ for lack of a better word, he saw most of them deep in thought.

Silence seemed to grip the travelers as Yang slowly smirked. "I guess my world isn't weak after all" she replied in a haughty tone.

Mira shrugged. "Meh. I've actually fought in the trenches of a different world war. What your planet has gone through is pretty standard for human civilization over the span of centuries. Empires rise and fall. New forms of government and technology. At least your world managed to come out of it into a golden age of technology, science and exploration in the surrounding solar system. Does it suck it happened? Of course it does. Isn't that right McGarden?"

"No way…"

The blunette whispered…her stance in shock as she slowly dragged her feet toward the open patio door to the balcony.

"Is she…alright?' Brandish asked warily as the news seemed to devastate the traveler from beyond.

"Miss Levy! I found some alcohol for your soul!" Normal-face said in a low shout…but he was ignored by the female.

"It can't be…my magic will fade if…if I stay here? It's a peaceful world so why not…" Dropping to her knees near the lounge chair and patio table outside, she gripped her head as many looked on in concern. The blue hair was spilling through her fingers and she was…un-moving with murmurs and whispers of madness spilling forth.

"Did…she break? Some of the things you told us…" Lisanna said in a hollow tone that was heavy with…pity. Frankly, she wouldn't be surprised this other Levy had finally snapped after zombies, locust, mutants and other abominations tried to desecrate her body and life on a daily basis.

Gajeel shook his head, his legs already moving toward the tormented twin of his dear friend. She may have threatened Laxus, but…he could forgive that considering their experiences.

"Hey McGarden. If you stay, I'm sure you can find a job without magic. That's what all of us will be doing soon" Setting his hand on her shoulder, the male with black hair and numerous studs of piercings along his face tried to smile in a bid of reassurance and comfort.

"You really think…"

Gajeel smiled, knowing he had done a good deed to comfort the female.

"YOU REALLY THINK I'M WORRIED ABOUT FUCKING MAGIC YOU DUMBASS!?"

Standing up, her palms were upward as mad laughter reigned.

"What!?" Gajeel asked in a stunned stupor as he reeled backward against the patio table.

"HeheheheHAHAHA! I'M LEVY FUCKING MCGARDEN! I'VE KILLED PEOPLE WITH ROCKS AND KNIVES! DESOLATED WHOLE CONTINENTS WITH NEUTRON BOMBS IN ALIEN STAR SYSTEMS! MAGIC? ONLY AN IDIOT WOULD BE COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON IT! GUNS! NAPALM! NUCLEAR BOMBS AND TANKS! I COULD DESTROY THIS WHOLE CITY WITH EASE! MWUAHAHAHA!"

"She's…completely insane…" Cana whispered as the busty scientist cackled and laughed….until Kagura walked up behind her with a scowl.

"THAT'S RIGHT! I'LL TAKE OF THIS WORLD FOR THEHAPPY! HE'LL LO—"

Kagura cracked McGarden across the head as hard as she could, the punch ringing both of them as the scientist was cut off in mid rant. Spinning, her eyes blazed at her friend.

"What the hell you tall gravity bitch!"

"You've lost your senses again and started to drift. And you were talking about thehappy again"

"Who?"

"Exactly. Your mental state splintered for a minute and I needed to slap your senses clear" Kagura informed the mage as McGarden rubbed her head.

"Are you sure you didn't just hit me for the fun of it?"

"No…of course not…" Kagura replied as her gaze wandered to the side.

"You did! Well let me tell you something Kagura! When we get back home the first thing your doing is fucking Natsu…WITH ME!"

"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT INCLUDING ME IN YOUR INSANE HAREM!?" Grabbing McGarden, Kagura pulled her close and started to exert pressure on her head with a closed fist.

"HEY! STOP IT! JUST BECAUSE YOUR TALLER THAN ME! HEEYYY! LEAVE MY BLUE HAIR ALONE!"

Poor Gajeel…he didn't know what to do except leave the two bickering women on the balcony.

"I knew she was crazy…but would she really take over this city?" Heather asked Scarlet who rested a finger on her bottom lip in a very cute manner of thinking.

"Ummm…not without a good reason"

"At least Kagura snapped her back to normal" Strauss informed the gathered group.

"This has happened before?" Natsu asked, his voice laced with concern. As far as he knew, people that mentally unhinged should not be using firearms. Let alone traveling from universe to universe.

"A couple times. I think the first incident was on that version of Earth with the walking dead" snapping her fingers, the beautiful, white haired Gear smiled as she placed her attention on Heather and the others. "Say! Maybe the next universe all of us go to we get to fight zombies again! You don't even feel bad about killing them!"

Alissa Vincent reeled back, her eyes fearful of the possibility as she started to shake her head vehemently side to side.

"No…no no no no NO! NO! NO FUCKING WAY AM I TRAVELING ANY FURTHER WITH YOU INSANE WOMEN AND YOUR MURDERING WATERMELON!"

"Why not? You could gain fearsome skills for slaying evil" Scarlet informed simply. Taking a sip of water, she knew it was best to quench her thirst since time was running out.

"I'm a security officer! Not some…some monster slaying super soldier! I just want a normal life again without having to deal with crazy situations!"

Nicole pipped up, her medical uniform still splattered with the dried blood of several dark mages as Heather Taft stood in support.

"I'm with Alissa on this. I just want to practice medicine again and become a full fledged doctor in the coming years"

"They have space mining here in the asteroid belt! I could do that!" the blonde ore specialist shouted out as the stressed and scared woman marched over to Natsu…and grabbed him by the lapel of his very expensive suit.

"GIVE ME A JOB! I DON'T CARE WHERE AS LONG AS I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH MONSTERS OR MAGIC EVER AGAIN!"

"She's crazy. Why wouldn't she want to come with us on a blood soaked adventure across worlds and universes?" Strauss asked her rival who shrugged in confusion.

"Perhaps they wish to form a harem with Laxus or Grey?" Normal face suggested simply as he finished off a bottle of booze…then tossed the glass bottle into his mouth. It shattered and tinkled, drawing very odd stares from all nearby. "Mmmm…glass"

"That's not it you stupid melon!" Heather shot back with heavy annoyance. Feeling her hands grasped by Natsu, the C.E.O. of Drago Industries pushed her away as his head slowly rose and fell.

"I can get in touch with H.R. See what openings they have. But! This is not a free pass. You have to be able to do the job professionally and effectively. I don't like employees that slack off or don't work"

"That's fine with us. Anything to get our lives back on track" Alissa mentioned before glancing at McGarden and Kagura who had just wandered in. Running a tired and annoyed palm through her hair, the former security chief felt a pang of remorse. "I'm not ungrateful for you ladies saving us and getting us off that ship…but I am not cut out for battles against dark mages and monsters. I just want a normal life again"

"I can understand that…" Kagura whispered before the insane Levy slapped her on the back.

"What are you talking about!? You get to hang out with women of the sisterhood! A reward in itself!"

"WHY DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOOD!?"

"Hehehe…your crazy Kagura" McGarden reasoned as she glanced at the timer readout on her wrist…and her eyes almost bugged out of her skull. "SHIT! THIRTY SECONDS! NORMAL FACE! HAT MODE NOW!"

"YES! MISS LEVY!"

"Hat mode?" Irene asked in confusion as the four soldiers started to group together in the middle of the living room. Pulling her lancer, Scarlet revved the saw to test it out as the blades spun and hissed in the housing. Mira and Kagura did the same, their faces going far too serious as the seconds ticked away.

"_So cool…" _Yang idly thought as the soldier glanced her way.

"Be honest…you want one"

"No…" Crossing her arms beneath her large and ample bust, the distant relative of Lucy pouted. She really would love to have a gun like that. But not because of the chainsaw and how cool it looked. No…no way.

Running across the room on his tiny legs, the water-melon leaped and flipped in the air with the grace of an acrobat…then landed on McGarden's shoulders. Wrapping his short arms around her head, his gaze became narrow.

"Hat mode activated"

"YOUR NOT A HAT!" Irene barked, not liking this insane send-off as her scarlet braids bounced from her shout.

"So…uh…good luck with rebuilding your lives. Oh! Mira and Lisanna! Open a resta—" Strauss started to say, but was cut off as the strange and bloody group snapped out of existence with a burst of blue and yellow particles. Drifting to the floor, they slowly disappeared as Nicole Brennan, Alissa Vincent, and Heather Taft studied the place they had just been.

"I know they were…pretty messed up, but I hope they make it home someday" Dimaria mentioned as the blonde and many others wondered what fate lay in store for those four battered women.

"Juvia hopes the same. But…" Her gaze studied the three newcomers with suspicion. "JUVIA HEARD YOUR HAREM PLANS FOR HER PRECIOUS GREY! HE IS JUVIA'S LOVE!"

"That's what you took away from this you insane woman!?" The men and women shouted in stupor and shock. And while Juvia accused Heather of being a 'blonde rival' Natsu just…chuckled at the sight with new friends and old family.

**DAMN! Only took like two days! But then again…it is only 6,000 some words. Still, I hope Multiverse Walker enjoys this little stop-off. And if he finds a mistake, let me know and I'll fix it. As for Alissa, Nicole, and Heather? They'll probably try to resume employment in their old fields so security, medicine and mining.**

**Also…My Hero Acedamia is next! I'm expecting at least a two parter for the girls and several weeks on that world…and dead villians! MWUAHAHAH *Hack* *Cough Cough***

**Anyway, I hope everybody enjoys and leaves a review! Oh! And if you care, I have moved my crossover Resident Evil story back to the main page. I don't think many were reading or finding it…so, READ IT! Those survivors need love!**

**P.S. I fixed some small plot errors thanks to Multiverse Walker. Should be all good now!**

**Gajeel: Holy crap that Levy was nuts!**

**Laxus: At least you didn't have a gun aimed at your dick!**

**Levy: I wonder how she made that watermelon? Maybe I should drink to find out…?**

**Cana and Demaria: YEAH!**

**Wendy: I barely got any lines…**

**Jellal: I got threatened with murder…**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	14. Academia (Part One)

**Well! Here I am with another adventure for the women of Shifting! And if you been keeping up, you readers know what's next! MHA! Now I'm sure there are many authors who can do a much better job with Midoriya and all of them, but I will do my best! And another thing, I might create a few villain's on top of the canon ones, but just a few.**

**Also, after this two-parter, I will write more for No Hope again. Or maybe split the difference? Eh…it will all get written!**

**I still don't own any media or fun things at all! (NOTE TO SELF! HERO KILLER! NOT HUNTER!)**

**Chapter 14: Academia (Part One)**

* * *

**Universe 23667849-M**

Several different fires burned in a nearby district as the orange glow of flames and emergency lights reflected off the brick and glass of several structures. The cries of fear and panicking civilians resonated among the canyons of concrete and steel…but it was fading as the situation came under control.

A deserted alleyway littered with garbage and discarded trash flickered with light. Casting stuttering shadows from a nearby bulb over a dingy side door of a small eatery, the strobing yellow bounced off the nearby dumpster with the rotting of discarded food and trash from the establishment. A few rats scurried, carrying their finds to consume in a frenzy of feeding.

A flash of blue and yellow illuminated the dingy brick and green refuse bin, the flow of particles falling as five new forms graced the abandoned alleyway.

"Man! Too bad our doubles won't be getting with that older Natsu! Despite his age, he still has robust strength and good looks...not too mention his caring attitude" Mira groaned as she hefted her rifle. Perring down the deserted alley, all she could see was trash, rats, and a few darkened doorways further down. Wrinkling her nose, she smelled rotting filth while her vision continued to study her new surroundings.

"Mira. You heard his tale. Lucy was his one true love. I doubt he would be interested in starting a family with your double" Kagura reasoned as she walked to the alley corner and peeked out to assess the area.

Billowing smoke rose several streets away along with the glow of fires, but she also recognized the flashes of emergency lights. _"Looks…normal. Probably just a fire with city services…I hope"_

"I just pray that Alissa, Heather, and Nicole manage to rebuild their lives. Too bad though, I enjoyed being around another red-head" Erza commented with a wisp of warmth while slowly holding her lancer. Pointing it downward, her gaze turned to Levy as the scientist studied her universal timer.

"Ugh…really?" McGarden complained as Normal-face continued to sit on her shoulders.

"What troubles you Miss Levy?" the melon inquired, his face passive as his eyes scanned for threats.

"The time…we're stuck here for almost two months! Dammit!" Sighing in annoyance with the dingy lights flickering above, the bluenette glanced at Kagura still peeking around the corner. "See anything?"

"A fire in the distance…but the street is deserted. However, I believe I heard voices coming from…" She stepped out, the rifle cradled to her chest as the vertical lights of her armor glowed blue. "The right. There's an intersection straight ahead so if we want make contact, we should go right"

"You're just acting all…leaderish because you got a sweet space suit now! But mark my words, I'll make upgrades for all of us!" Levy warned with a pointed finger. _"I hope I can find some lab or well funded workshop…maybe at some distant academy!"_

Kagura glanced back, her eyes a gaze of boredom. "Whatever. Let's just try to find out where the hell we are first"

"Agreed. Perhaps there will be another Natsu of this world willing to sexually please myself and Kagura" Erza stated simply as she stepped onto the roadway. A groan of annoyance left the gravity mage, but Scarlet knew…it was a sound of future pleasure. _"She just needs to be warmed up!"_

"This world better have some good food…and not be taken over by rabbit monsters. I really don't want to deal with that crap like those three immortal nudists" Mira voiced as she joined the others.

"Well…LET'S FIND OUT!" Levy grinned as she unslung her L.M.G. Starting to walk down the two lane road, the women passed several cars as they homed in on the voices coming from nearby…

Stain yanked the simple blade out of the Nomu's head, a wrenching of gristle and gore. Blood dripped from the knife, pattering the pavement as his fanatical eyes studied Midoriya laying there in fear. His lips quivered…the tremble making the hero killer sick.

"Why are you all standing around? That winged creature should be right around here" Endeavor asked sternly of the nearby hero's as they gathered around the U.A. Students. Briefly glancing at his son, Shoto, Endeavor rapidly studied the cuts and injuries before his attention was drawn.

"Endeavor! It's…!" a blonde female hero pointed down the street with a hint of dread. Following the lesser known hero's line of sight…his heart thumped at the person beyond. The flames coursing off his body seemed to grow brighter as he swung back his left arm. Gathering fire and flame, the second most famous pro hero was almost looking forward to this fight against the notorious villain.

"The Hero Killer! STAIN!" The large man started to throw the attack, inferno dripping from his fist.

"NO! WAIT SIR!" The woman cried again as she pointed toward Midoriya still laying at the murderous villain's feet.

Endeavor powered down that roiling flame, his face a scowl with the burning tendrils of his fire-brows narrowing.

Stain finally turned in a flash, the sheer…_bloodlust _coming off of him in waves so fierce that Gran Turino took a wary step back. The bandages around his face fell, showcasing Stain's true fanaticism with eyes holding his true beliefs. Swinging his small blade, the steel hissed through the air as Stain spread his hands with a maniacal grin on his face.

Then…he laughed. A bellow reminiscent of satan himself as the vile chuckling washed over all the gathered heroes. Gran Turino…Tenya lida…Shoto Todoroki and his father nearby. All the gathered pro heroes could feel it in their hearts…their souls as Stain finally spoke with Midoriya at his feet.

"Hehehaha! If I don't fix it…if someone isn't…stained with blood…! If heroes aren't restored…! Come! Just try me you…fakes! The only one allowed to kill me is…All Might, a true hero!"

Stain's ragged breathing didn't do anything to minimize his speech laced with blood and fear. The words raced out with his aura of…_hatred, _spreading like a wave of red toward the gathered men and women. Even the mighty Endeavor took a cautious step back…the sheer _will_ of this villain to fight crushing them all.

"Hahahaha! You call that a speech!? What a lame-ass!"

The woman's voice pierced their frozen state like a burst of light, unfreezing Turino, Shoto, Tenya and the rest as they looked past the villain toward a group of four women…and a watermelon?

"Stay back! He's dangerous!" Gran Turino tried to warn the armored females. He didn't recognize them at all. Where they new heroes? Or sidekicks that got lost?

The first was shorter, blue hair giving a low reflection under a street lamp as a visible scar marred her face. The one next to her was taller, wearing a suit of strange, platted armor as her white hair was kept in a ponytail. Next in line was a red head, her hair flowing down her back as she wore a similar set of plates with a gear symbol set below her breasts. The last one on the far left had hair like the darkest midnight, the strands wafting in the breeze while the melon walked next to the blue haired one with an even gaze.

And they all held rifles that looked on the borders of military gear. Which no hero does unless approved by the Hero Association.

"Dangerous? Please. All he does is scream little bitch" the red head pointed out as she chuckled lightly. "Oh…I'm a bad guy that wants to kill! I'm soooo scary!" Having stored her rifle, the female pretended to be terrified in a mocking tone as some of the other's unleashed mirthful chuckles.

Stain turned, his gaze like fire. "You…dare to mock my mission! I will enjoy staining my blade with your blood and lives!"

He was crazed…no longer thinking of anything but participating in slaughter. Shifting his booted feet, Stain's cloak fluttered as he started to sprint away from Midoriya toward this new group.

"NO! Leave them alone!" Midoriya cried. Gasping from the burning pain running up his right arm from the use of 'Full Cowl' just minutes before, the young man knew there was nothing he could do. Stain jumped, his mantra and power surging while he raised his small dagger to kill.

"Yawn"

"Did you just say yawn?" Mira inquired of Levy in a bored tone with the murderer flying through the air toward their location.

"Yeah…this guy is boring" Levy stated with a bored expression.

"YOU DIE FIRST! FALSE HERO!" Stain screamed in madness as he targeted the short one with blue hair. He didn't care. Men. Women. Criminal or hero. All the false pretenders would perish for the growth of a stronger society.

Pulling her side-arm, Levy gave another bored yawn before she squeezed off a trio of shots. They cracked through the night air, a hiss of death before slamming into Stain's chest. Blood bloomed as the bullets tore through his muscle, piercing a vital lung before they exploded out of his back in a spray of skin and gore.

Hitting the ground in a tumble, Stain rolled as blood left his lips. Growling in hatred, his aura loomed as his eyes pierced into the group. Struggling to his knees, the villain would not even consider surrendering.

"You weak heroes! You don't have the strength to kill me! Only All Might is capable of such a feat!" Bloody spittle flew from his mouth, coating his lips and gums while he struggled to stand.

"_These wounds…was that a gun? Hardly anybody uses them in Japan. I need…I need to make them understand how false they are!"_

Endeavor paused, the bleeding hatred from Stain making them all pause as the red headed woman approached with a bat wrapped with barb wire and nails.

"_What is she planning on doing? They've beaten him. Stain is on his last legs…No…she couldn't be…"_ The pro hero enshrouded in fire realized in the horror of a heartbeat.

"Yeah…I have no idea who that is. Oh well. You made Strawberry thirsty with your bloodlust anyway"

"What…?"

It was the last thing Stain uttered as that metal bat cracked down against his skull. A sickening crunch of caving bone made him groan and gasp, the blow far stronger than he realized.

"GOD DAMN! LIKE A CHAMP!" Erza yelled before she swung again. Blood spattered against her cheeks, mixed in with a few shards of bone and gristle. Stain fell, his mind fading while his body fell forward. The base-ball bat's end hissed again, embedding in his skull while brain matter and viscera spread out in a small blast of force.

Midoriya watched in absolute horror as this woman simply…_beat _the notorious Hero Killer to an unmoving lump. Even now as he struggled to stand upright, the U.A. student could see the reflective gore and pink matter of the now deceased villain across the roadway….and the redhead grinned.

"Such a weakling. At least those last assholes we killed put up a fight"

Her voice echoed toward the heroes as she turned, gore and bits of hair stuck among the wire and nails.

"They…just killed Stain…" Tenya whispered in a stupefied shock at how brutally his brother's attacker had fallen. Eye's tracking the group, they were standing around and laughing, the red haired one draping the bat across her armored shoulders without a care.

"Endeavor…"

"I know. Those two just committed deadly assault and murder. Even as a villain, they had no right to do that. He was entitled to a fair trial and punishment…not this vigilante execution" Gathering fire around his fist, the second ranked pro hero's voice bellowed while his feet started to take him forward with Gran Torino and several other heroes.

"YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR THE MURDER OF THAT MAN! GIVE UP BEFORE YOU REGRET IT!" Endeavor bellowed, his voice dripping with authority.

"Uh…why do they look mad? We just saved that green haired kid from that murderer" Mira asked simply as the group started to approach.

"AWE FUCK! THEY'RE MALL COPS! RUN!" Levy screamed in panic before she turned and sprinted.

"Shit! Really!?" Kagura gasped as they beat hasty footsteps around the corner of the intersection from the direction they had arrived.

"THEY LOOK LIKE IT! NOW RUN!" McGarden urged with her trusty melon huffing and puffing on shorter legs. Eyeing a different alleyway looming with darkness, the five travelers sprinted down the trash strewn corridor to escape their new pursuers.

Shoto Todoroki gripped his left arm, trying to stem the pain of the blade cuts while Iida ran to Midoriya to assist. Watching his father and Gran Torino pursue, his voice rang with confusion and disbelief.

"Did that short one just call my dad the second rated hero…a mall cop?"

**An hour later…**

The four mages and melon had taken shelter in an abandoned factory, their muscles sore from the flight through the city as the sound of crickets and rats echoed through the night. Crumbling walls and rusting machinery decorated the old floor while ragged weeds poked up through the cracks. Rats scurried nearby, moving through shafts of moonlight from the old skylights devoid of glass. Outside, the property was surrounded by the detritus of an ancient recession in the old district of the city long forgotten.

Having lost those strange men in the first ten minutes of weaving through alleyways and random shortcuts, they had eventually come across this desolate area that seemed devoid of even criminal elements.

"Seriously…what the fuck was their problem? We kill an obvious bad guy…and they think we're the villains? What kind of stupid logic is that?" Mira groused as she leaned against a rusting drill press. Folding her arms beneath the bust of her armor, she was annoyed judging by her narrowed eyes.

"I understand your frustration, M.J. I eliminated a scourge of evil with maximum brutality and didn't receive a thank you. Strawberry is very upset by the whole thing" Erza commented. Brandishing the weapon, the woman set it down on a cluster of drums. Beginning to pull the remains of that obvious murderer from the tangle of wire and nails, her face was upset as she attended to her friend.

"You would think heroes such as ourselves would be recognized for our wonderful deed, but as soon as it happened, that guy on fire wearing that jumpsuit yelled at us!" Levy supported as she scowled. _"Bet he wouldn't work that great in water…and that fire mustache looked stupid"_

"I wonder why those strange mall authorities were away from their place of employment? Why would they be patrolling a random street?" Normal-Face pondered, his melon features showing confusion.

Kagura stared at her companions with the most blank, dead panned stare she could muster. She cared for them all…despite how utterly ruthless they could be. Even when they gave her crap about joining their harem, she dismissed it mostly as a way to cope.

But, she couldn't believe they had gotten this stupid…and they were all still trying to figure out why they had been chased.

"IT'S BECAUSE YOU TWO MURDERED SOMEBODY! YOU DO REMEMBER THAT IN MOST SCOCIETIES THAT'S ILLEGAL, RIGHT!?"

"What?"

"Rage?"

"Laser-meat?"

"So…you want to fuck Natsu now?"

Kagura slapped her hand to her forehead, her disbelief at her friend's statement's increasing her ire.

"No Erza…no fucking Natsu. I'm saying that in this world, it's possible that killing villain's and criminals could be illegal. After all, our own world used to have such a rule of law before the war"

The other four blinked, not able to process such a ridiculous system of justice until Erza picked up her now cleaned bat. Swinging it through the air, it hissed in the night as the woman spoke between swings.

"Your saying…that we broke a law? And that we would be…chased for it?"

"Yes"

"I see…how ridiculous. The only true way to deal with evil men is to purge them from existence" Glancing at Levy, the red head completed her practice swings before attaching it to her magnetized armor plate with satisfaction. The scientist was studying the 'universal timer' her face a glow of soft blue.

"Levy? What'cha thinking?" Mira inquired simply.

Lowering the left limb, the female spun to look at her friends with a wide grin while her watermelon practiced his poses. Gathering her magic, a few pieces of parchment formed and fluttered in the low light under the moon. They looked innocent…no more deadly than paper used in a grade school. But they all knew better as each female tested her magical strength and finding it working without fail.

"It's obvious! We fix this world by killing all the bad guys! Then they'll have to love us if we stop crime! HAHAHA!"

"An excellent idea Miss Levy! I will use my rage to accumulate…MORE RAGE!"

'Wonderful. But we should leave this city. I don't like the smell of it" Erza finished as she wiggled her nose in a very cute manner.

"I'll find us a car to steal! Er…borrow…forever" Mira tried to cover before she ran out into the night in an attempt to find transport.

"We will need to find a decent base in the next city too. We are here for a two month's so fuck living in the sewers or some shit" the blue haired mage finished as the women came up with the next portion of their plan…

**The next day… Hosu, Japan**

A light breeze blew through the window of the hospital room, rustling Midoriya's green hair. Emerald eyes slowly opened, their visage taking in more of the bright day. They snapped open a moment later.

"GahhH!" Izuku gasped out as he sat up in the hospital bed in a flash. Grabbing his chest, he found his right arm bandaged in a sling while a few other bandages covered his body in other places.

"Midoriya? Your awake?" Iida simply asked as the teenager sat on the edge of his bed. Glasses framed his face, his gaze thankful while his black hair rustled. His arms were pressed to his chest, the limbs wrapped and in casts with supporting slings. Frankly put, Tenya Iida had taken the worst injuries out of the three students.

"Yeah…but that nightmare…" Izuku replied softly, his mind still replaying everything that happened. Glancing down at his bandaged leg, izuku finally realized he was wearing a hospital gown.

"It's not surprising. You were practically in arms reach of that woman" Todoroki reasoned. Brushing some of his split colored hair away, the young man looked down at his bandaged arm. Right where those knives had been courteous of Stain.

"I know…"

The door opened with a swing of hinges, revealing the short hero Gran Turino and two more men behind him. One was normal looking enough, his attire consisting of a black suit and tie that could be found pretty much anywhere. The other though…was literally a towering man of muscle and height…with a Saint Bernard's head.

"AH! Gran Turino!"

"YOU DAMN PUNK! What did I say! Stay on the train! I could yell at you for hours you stupid kid!" the shorter and older man barked at his student, ire and anger on his tongue.

"I know…I'm really sorry…" Izuku tried to apologize, his heart heavy while the old hero let out a small 'hmph'

"Well…you should be you, dumb punk. But put that aside for now, the chief of police is here with a fellow officer"

"_The…the…the…chief of police!?"_ Midoriya stuttered in his mind while he gulped deeply at the towering, dog-like man.

"Hello. I'm Kenji Tsuaragame. Chief of police for the city of Hosu. Woof"

'_WOOF!?"_

Studying the young man with green hair, his black eyes slowly tracked around the room to the other students. Keeping his arms clasped behind his back the chief executed an aura of authority.

"Chief Tsuaragame? What happened? I know Endeavor and Gran Turino gave chase…but…" Midoriya asked, he gaze lowering while his mind raced.

"That's why I'm here with one of my detective's. Now normally, you three and your sponsors would be receiving reprimands and punishment for your attack on the hero killer known as Stain"

"What!? Why!? If it wasn't for us, the hero 'Native' would be dead! And he actively tried to kill Iida you damn mutt!"

"So just because of that you think it's okay to break the law?" The chief's eye's narrowed at the white and red haired student. "The first generation of hero's set up the code of ethics our society abides by. If heroes or trainee's started to simply ignored the rules of justice for convenience, how would we be any better than the criminals themselves?"

Shoto went quiet, his mind mulling over the chief's words until he cleared his throat. "However, with the appearance of those vigilante's for lack of a better term, the situation has changed"

"How?" Iida asked, his gaze and body tone seeking answers.

"Officially speaking, Endeavor beat Stain, but the fight mortally wounded the villain as he defended the lives of some young bystanders from harm. I realize how hard you all fought, and that you should deserve more than being swept under the rug, but if it became known that students confronted him and almost died in the fight…not to mention their non-hero status, we would have no choice but to punish you for the breaking of our laws"

"So…basically we get punished or let Endeavor take the credit?' Shoto asked as he crossed his arms while in a wide stance in the middle of the room.

"That's fine" Midoriya stated before he centered his gaze on the chief once more. "I didn't fight Stain for recognition or fame…I did it to protect my friends and innocent lives. If nobody knows…that's fine with me"

"Well said young man" The chief supported before he once again cleared his throat. "Midoriya. I understand you were closest to that group?"

"Yes sir. I saw them kill Stain…it was horrible" The male whispered as his mind's eye replayed the brutal visage once more.

"Do you think detective Sato can read your memories? He has a mind reading quirk…it's quite useful for the interrogations. But, also for getting the images of criminals from victims of assault or other crimes"

"Oh…yeah. I want to help catch them. I know he was a horrible villain, but everybody has the right to a fair trial and justice" Feeling his friend's Iida and Shoto stand behind him in support, the three males watched the younger officer approach. Squatting down into a hunch, the man met Midoriya's gaze.

"Don't worry. I can only read what you want me to read. Just think back to last night and I'll do the rest"

Izuku gave an assenting nod before the two males locked gazes, almost peering into each other's souls. It was short lived however as he willed himself to remember last night…especially that brutal execution. The blood and brain matter flying…the crunch of collapsing bone mixed with the cheer's and laughter of that group of women.

Breathing deeply while breaking the connection, detective Sato had a full picture of the four's features as he turned to his chief. "Four women like the report's stated. I didn't see any display of quirks aside from the mutation watermelon quirk. It's hard to say which one is the leader…but they didn't seem to regret or feel emotion while killing the Hero Killer. In fact, they enjoyed it while laughing" Turning back to Midoriya, detective Sato set a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder. "I…am very sorry you witnessed that at such a close range. It was a sickening sight to behold. If you wish to talk, the department has a psychiatrist to help"

"No. I'll be alright. I just want to continue my training with Gran Turino"

"Hmph. Not today you're not. You need to rest and heal. All you boys do" the older hero stated with a no bullshit tone and withering gaze.

"Chief. We should get back to the station. I need to work with the sketch artist right away so we can catch these women"

"Right. Take care you three. And I hope you learn from all of this. After all, you each have a bright future as heroes" the large dog man smiled with a thumbs up before he and the other officer filed out of the room.

"Get some rest Midoriya. Same with you two before your sponsor's show up" Turning, the short man walked out with a grumble while the three settled in.

"Hey Midoriya?"

"Uh, yeah Todoroki?"

"They'll get caught, alright? Endeavor is leading the search with the police. Those ladies will be in custody in no time"

"It's surprising though…they actually managed to escape from your father and Gran Turino last night. Both heroes are known for their speed especially your sponsor, Midoriya" Iida thought out loud, his face clasped in worry.

"The matter is for the pro's and police now. Nothing we can do in this state anyway" Shoto finished before laying back down and enjoying the warm breeze flowing through the hospital room window…

**Musufatu, Japan 6:27 p.m. later that day**

The van Mira had _found_ could be described as a rusting piece of shit on wheels as it rolled down the highway toward the city. Gripping the wheel as the transport groaned with the slightest of bumps, bits of rust actually rained down from the small holes in the roof. The van was a horrible green from an earlier era, almost reminiscent of puke with multiple holes in the floor and roof. A staggering crack across the front windshield was like a raging spiderweb, its track running across Levy's and Mira's eyeline while the woman stayed in the slow lane.

"Mira…couldn't you have found something not falling apart?" Erza asked in annoyance. Some of those bits of decaying metal had fallen in her scarlet hair…and she could feel their grit. Sitting in the back seat near that sliding door, the woman was barely heard over the rattle of loose springs.

"It's not like she had a choice" Kagura shrugged while her gaze looked downward at the upholstery riddled with mice holes and mildew. _"It's the cushion moving? I really hope it's not rats…" _the black haired Gear thought to herself. Sitting in the far back near the rear doors, Kagura turned in her seat as a few clangs of falling metal fell out of the gaping hole near the wheel well. _"I can literally see the pavement…"_

"It is a fine transport for Miss Levy!"

Sitting between Mira and mentioned female, the melon was constantly watching the nearby traffic through the dirty side window near Erza. "I don't like the look of those cars…"

"Damn! What's with all these dumb ass looking symbols on the freeway signs! It's like they purposely made it impossible to read! I don't even know what city this is!" Mira ranted as they entered the urban limits. Buildings rose like pillars of glass and steel, bisecting a distant river while several nearby mountains and hills sat in the distance. Commerce and commuter's drove, never seeming to halt as the burning sun sank lower to the horizon.

"It's Japanese you dummy. And we're entering Musutafu" Levy simply replied as she kept her legs propped on the moldy dash.

"I really hate you can read and understand almost every damn language in the multiverse"

"Well…maybe I can make some nano's for you ladies. I'm sick of having to explain everything…OH! This offramp!" The woman jumped whilst grabbing the steering wheel. Yanking to the right, the rolling pile of scrap almost hit the divider as sparks flew from the graze.

"AHHH! YOU BITCH!" Mira screamed as the old tires squealed and smoked from the rapid turn.

"YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION!" Levy shot back as she grinned like a mad-woman. Rolling through a stop-sign, they were lucky from the lack of traffic.

"Let me drive, dammit!" Mira hollered while shoving her friend away into the passenger seat. Huffing, the mage continued to drive down the road filled with potholes and widening cracks. A few abandoned cars on cinderblocks lined the street, their rusting appearance ignored by several homeless hanging in doorsteps of boarded up businesses.

"Miss Levy! Prostitutes!" Normal face pointed, his gaze centered on two women standing outside a porno store wearing fishnet stockings, skirts, and tube tops. Probably their age, each one supported large breasts and thin waists that would garner many customers.

"I bet the one on the left could suck a man dry" Levy admitted with a chuckle as they continued to drive past the downtrodden members of this neighborhood. A fight broke out between the two women and a man, shouts and yells filtering through the crumbling neighborhood.

"I think one of those hookers just mugged somebody" Kagura commented as the view faded from sight. Mira turned down another street, the lamps above barely working as the sun continued to set lower and lower.

"THERE! WE CAN HIDE OUT THERE!" Levy pointed toward an electronic store with bars on the window. It had gone out of business, but it looked almost recent as it hadn't been looted yet…which was very surprising. Jumping out, the scarred woman was joined by Erza as the two eyed the attached garage nearby. It was spray painted with heavy graffiti, an explosion of gang symbols and lewd sayings about fucking.

"Let's get it open. The last thing we need is our only vehicle getting stolen by some crack head" Levy encouraged as both women approached. Eying the heavy padlock, the shorter female simply sliced it with a bit of magic. Clattering to the sidewalk strewn with trash, the woman grinned. _"Finally! A universe with working magic!"_

"We need to secure a source of food too. We have enough rations for tonight and tomorrow…hngh!" Erza grunted, both lifting the rolling barrier in a squeal of rust and tormented rollers. Mira drove in, the strained engine almost wheezing as the van became parked in the small garage. The motor cut off, gripping the silence besides the sounds of crime nearby as the two shut the shutter door with another grunt of exertion.

"Everybody spread out. We need to make sure it's deserted" Kagura instructed as they all filed toward the door past stacks of old boxes and papers. Swinging it open, the armored women were quite surprised from the state of the store.

Shelves lined with computer parts and transistors…power cords and microchips…it was a treasure trove of technology.

"How the fuck is all this shit still here? Wouldn't it have been sold or stolen by now?" Mira inquired as she eyed a computer tower on a shelf. It looked useable…which just did not make sense for this part of the city.

"WHO CARES! I CAN…!" Levy surged forward, grabbing a box of unused circuit boards in their packaging and other vital technology. "I CAN HACK INTO A BUNCH OF SHIT! AND OTHER SCIENCE CRAP! FUCK YEAH!" Running toward the back room, the woman was cackling madly as she started to craft under the flickering of orange light.

"I WILL ASSIST MISS LEVY! RAGE LEARNING!" Running after his creator with arms raised, the creature disappeared in the back of the abandoned store.

"Well…let's see if this place has running water at least?" Erza suggested as she and the others started to explore their temporary home…while ignoring the rapid sounds of technology? Yes, the sounds of technology…and watermelon learning…

**The following night. 10:13 p.m.**

Kagura and Mira sat on the brown couch in the upstairs apartment, its surface weathered and cracked…but still comfortable. Looking around as a few lights illuminated the main living room, Kagura found that this apartment seemed to be in relatively decent condition despite the abandonment. Of course, the gravity mage ignored the old stains on the wall behind her that may or may not be blood spatter. Near the back of the home was a small kitchen, the stove a disgusting mess as Normal-face cleaned the appliance with a sponge. Where he found the tiny apron adorning his green body, she couldn't guess, but he seemed content to clean for Levy. There were also two bedrooms and a bathroom with…running water. A wonderful experience as each woman took their turn to wash the dried horror of the Ishimura and dark mage remains away. Was it the best? No, but it ran and didn't stink of sewage or rust which was fine with them all.

"_Could be worse…"_ Kagura randomly thought as she turned her eyes toward the knight.

Erza stood at the large, barred window, her gaze peaking past the black curtains to the crime-ridden street below. A few thugs walked below, one of them having…brick skin?

"_Another mutation. But normal humans seem to accept them despite their strange appearance" _The door leading to the business below opened and shut, revealing Levy as she lugged a computer and other assembled apparatus toward the old television.

"Going down to South Park, have myself a time…" she started to sing off key, her fingers rapidly connecting cords and other bits of technology.

"You done? Because you asked us to wait here at least an hour ago" Mira asked with a surge of annoyance, her glare biting into the woman's back as she continued to sing.

"Friendly faces everywhere, people spouting HOWDY NEIGHBOR!" flicking the last switch, the console and screens lit up, illuminated the room and casting blue light against the armory of guns and armor in the corner.

"FUCK YEAH! Up and rolling now!"

"Did you even hear me?"

"No. I don't care about your lost hour anyway. But let's check out this world from the safety of this crime-ridden warzone of decay!"

"Such a bitch…" Mira muttered as the two other women and the short house maid gathered around the larger television.

Fingers flying across the keyboard, the woman soon accessed the internet while transferring the data to the larger screen. Information soon flowed, illuminating all their faces in the lowly lit room while McGarden brought up recent history for this world.

"Quirks? What the hell are quirks?" Kagura asked her friends a few minutes later. Erza stroked her chin, her brain intaking the information displayed.

"It's…almost similar to magic in a way. But with the added ability to transform some human's into different forms. Stone skin…multiple limbs…invisibility? Some have even transformed into animal/human hybrids such as cats, dogs…bulls…even snakes?"

"Hardly human at that point. How can a man looking like a dog even be human?" Normal face asked before pointing toward a link. "Miss Levy! A site about heroes! We should join and help slay evil! Hehehe…yes…slay with…with lots of blood!"

"Damn right we should!" Clicking on the link, Levy brought up a new screen of information while the group started to read. But soon…they found themselves disgusted…sickened by most of these _heroes. _There were a few legitimately heroic such as All Might, Endeavor and few others, but most were pretty weak sounding based on their quirk descriptions and strengths.

"This world…are they children? Or just stupidly naïve? Hero licenses? Actual institutions for students to become heroes and sidekicks…fair trials and justice for murderers and rapists? These pro heroes can even lose their licenses for killing a villain that murdered innocents if the situation is against them…what fucking garbage" Mira spat, her known hatred for rapists the strongest of them all.

"They don't even execute dangerous villains. They just lock them up in specially designed prisons and waste tax-payer money" Kagura read further, a hint of disgust on her lips at how…foolish and stupid this system of justice was. It was one thing to arrest a criminal for assault or robbing banks, but when someone blows up a hospital and snuffs out dozens or hundreds of innocent lives? They have no rights.

"Fucking stupid…okay. Well it's obvious they don't know about the benefits of killing…Oh, hey. They said that burning mall cop fought that bandaged guy we finished off" Levy added as her scowl deepened. Fingers flying across the keyboard, the genius scientist began to hack the police and hero database.

"What are you looking for, creator?"

"Villain's we can kill since these pussy-ass heroes won't do the job themselves. While a few are capable, most of these pros would need to be fucking lucky to take any of us down. I MEAN! LOOK AT THIS GUY! BLUE JEANIST!? WHAT A FUCKING IDIOT!" The woman raged with her teeth clenched. And it was true. He looked like a stupid looking Steve Urkel with his pants hiding his nose. His thread quirk would be completely useless against the likes of them all…especially Mira and Levy.

The police firewall and online security failed after thirty seconds. Bringing up open files of criminals at large in Musutafu, the girl started to scroll the read out of warrants.

"Petty crime…petty crime…assault…Oh! What about this one!? Erza pointed out at the picture of a man with very yellow looking skin…and a drill pointing out the top of his skull. The eyes were square, almost like a construction vehicle as the girls leaned closer to read.

**Name: Hiro Oda**

**Alias: Drill Bit**

**Crimes: Rape, Murder, Deadly Assault, Trafficking, Illegal Narcotic Distribution**

**Associates: The Tenth Street Dig Crew**

"Awe…he's perfect!" Levy squealed as she stood up. Walking toward the pile of equipment in the corner, the woman started to slide her chest piece over her torso. Setting it in place, she started to tighten the clasps to properly secure the armor.

"Wait…your going now?" Kagura asked simply.

"Yup! What better time than now to go kill some bad guys! You wanna come with?"

The black haired woman thought for a few moments…then looked at her crazy friend which rapidly made up her mind. "If I don't, who knows what you'll do"

"Yeah. I might do something completely illogical or gruesome!"

"I guess I'll look up more villain's we can target later" Mira shrugged. Sitting down as her ass was cushioned in the old chair, the white haired woman started to scroll the police data-base while Erza leaned over her shoulder to assist. Or more specifically…not be bored out of her mind.

The next villain appeared, a young man wearing dark blue jeans and matching coat. Severe burns covered his exposed forearms and lower face, the separation of healthy skin and burnt visage lined by stitches while black hair flew upward in spread of spikes.

"Dabi? Well well…he looks like a piece of shit on a hot day. Murder…torture…hmm….quirk is _cremation_, but his whereabouts are unknown…" Mira mumbled before she scrolled onward.

"We'll put a pin in that one for now" Erza reassured her friend. Glancing at the now armored Levy, Kagura and Normal Face, the trio walked past them with a simple wave of goodbye.

"Yes…SLAUGHTER! I can feel my rage sac growing"

"Don't ever say that in front of me again" Kagura warned as the trio left, leaving Erza and Mira in the old apartment.

Five minutes was all it took before Mira shut down the computer, ending the hacking connection in frustration. "I'm hungry. Let's get some dinner"

"Are there even stores around here where you won't get an STD? Because this neighborhood is a shit-hole" Scarlet commented to her rival.

"Eh…we'll just steal some from a nicer neighborhood or something. Let's just remember to lock up"

"Fair enough. Not like we're breaking the law for feeding ourselves anyway" Scarlet agreed as she used her digital storage device to armor herself in a flash of digitized light. Or as she's starting to think of it, the D.S.D.

"Do you even dress normally anymore?" Strauss inquired while she put on her armor and grabbed her lancer…for grocery shopping.

"Only the morning's after Natsu pleasured me for hours" Resting a hand on her breast, the scarlet haired woman smiled at the many memories of her boyfriend ravaging her.

"Don't start thinking about him! We have to…god…I would love to just ride him all night" Mira lightly swooned before she shook her head. _"FOCUS! STEAL GROCERIES!"_

"I would give anything to feel him insi—"

"NO! LET'S GO!" Mira urged as she pushed against Erza and started heading toward the stairwell.

"I'll need to use the shower once we get back. Natsu will…"

"I don't need to hear what you plan on doing with that alien marker memory in the shower! Lusty pervert!" the woman yelled sternly as the two soon emerged on the street. Locking up, they faded into the night as a crack addict with four arms watched in a haze from across the desolate road.

**Tenth Street Dig Crew Hideout 1:43 a.m.**

Flickering lights hanging from the cavernous ceiling buzzed, stuttering as the yellow glow stabilized seconds later. The illumination fell in a sweeping veil across the warehouse, showing off several wooden crates stacked in the corner. Marked as 'coffee', this allowed the gang inside to easily move their product throughout the city.

But Drill Bit didn't really care about the illegal drugs and merchandise his crew would move later that night. No…he was busy studying the half dozen teenager girls curled up in the large cage near the office. Ranging in age from fifteen to nineteen, each female was quite beautiful despite the dirt and grime covering their faces and torn clothes. Suffice to say, his crew had done a fine job collecting product. Coupled with the quirk cancelling collars around their necks, and his mood was soaring as he went back to studying his wares.

Eye's traveling down the nineteen year old's brunette's form, Drill Bit's gaze settled on the large breasts. They were…supple, practically flowing out of her top. Licking his lips, the square eyes traveled to her exposed abdomen of slim flesh and eventually the girls long, sexy legs.

"Heh…I'm almost tempted to keep you for myself and the boys. But I already have a buyer for you… he loves virgin's"

The girl cried, her sobs wracking the air while the villain sneered. "What are you crying for!? You get to be bought! Turned into a prize whore! All women love to be fucked you crying bitch!" Kicking the cage, several of the females unleashed soft wails of fear while the drill quirk user turned away. 'Useless. At least all their buyers will train them properly"

Walking away, Drill Bit approached a central table stacked with money. A few of his crew were nearby, counting the cash as others continuously loaded product into the trucks at the loading bay doors.

"I can't believe how stupid the authorities are. A fake front and shipping business? Bribe a few officials and we have a company only a few blocks away from the shopping district. The heroes don't even know about these missing slut's yet!" Laughing, the quirk user was joined by several of his nearby gang as they bellowed and chuckled.

"Good one boss! We set up right under their noses!" an underling quipped, his breathe trickling with ice and cold while whitish blue hair dangled past his eyes. Obviously an ice user type, the criminal was one of many quirk users as he went back to counting their earnings.

The side door to the warehouse was kicked open, almost flying off the hinges as the heavy metal clanged against the nearby wall of concrete cinderblocks. The two guards turned, surprise on their faces as two women wearing armor and carrying weapons marched in. A flash of movement had the first guard trying to stop the slash of a blade across his throat, the crimson spilling forth courteous of Kagura as she quickly wiped the excess blood on her hip from the combat blade.

"Your security sucks, Drill Hat" Levy teased as she shot the other man in the face, blowing bits of bone and brain matter across the floor. She had no idea that his quirk allowed him to incur horrifying nightmares upon his touch…not like it would've bothered her anyway.

A watermelon walked in, it's entire body dripping with blood and chunks of flesh dripping down his face. Even his boots and gloves had become red…a nightmare of horror.

"Miss Levy! I finished killing the security outside! My rage sac is swollen…with rage" Clenching a gloved fist, the creatures eyes went dark with fury.

"Those damn fools. They should've known the natural rage of watermelon's" Levy quipped.

"You…whatever rival gang or crime syndicate your from, you will fucking die for coming here and killing my guards. And its DRILL BIT YOU STUPID BITCH! KILL THEM MEN!" the villain resembling construction equipment bellowed. Hardening his skin like steel, Hiro Oda retracted his hands into his forearms before bringing out his diamond tipped drill hands.

"TIME TO DRILL!" Running forward, he relished the fact of a good fight. _"And maybe I can capture them. Women are just toys after all"_

Levy looked at the main villain while several of the others started to unleash or power up their respective quirks.

"That was the stupidest thing I've heard in the last thirty seconds"

"Should we tell him they have no chance of winning?" Kagura asked while a man raised his hands…and summoned a glacier of ice. Racing toward the women while an electric quirk user did the same, Levy sighed.

"No…these guys suck too much. I'll get the leader and the ones on the left. You take right. Normal face…uh…I got nothing"

"I will stand…NORMALLY!" Going rigid, the shorter creature gained a blank look in the doorway with fresh blood dripping down his sides.

"YOU DARE INSULT THE BOSS WITH A WATERMELON!? CARNAGE FIST!" a gang member screamed as he jumped off the walls…and his fist grew to the size of his body. Glowing with magma, it would cause serious damage if it landed. Flying over the encroaching glacier that raced across the floor, Kagura stared blankly at her targets.

"Gravity"

Waving her free hand, she simply used her magic to increase the gravity of the two main attackers and their four followers…by ten times. Crashing into the glacier face first like he impacted a steel wall, the carnage fist guy literally broke his neck from the impact as his head twisted and bent. The ice user? His legs snapped like twigs as the weight of his body that went from one hundred eighty pounds…to eighteen hundred. His screams of agony reverberated around the warehouse, mixing in with the chorus from the nearby villains. Snapped legs and arms…a broken back with internal organ's liquifying. They had simply collided with the floor under the force of almost a full ton as their bodies broke like bugs against a windshield.

"Wow…these guy's suck" Kagura whispered. Stepping through the field of increased gravity as it warped and surged around her, the woman unslung her lancer…then heard the female cries from across the warehouse.

Desperate. Fearful. Terrified.

"PLEASE! HELP US!" It drew her gaze like a snap, Kagura's eyes narrowing as she studied the distant captives. Tattered rags…bruises with slave collars…and all women.

"Levy…they have girls in a—"

"Yeah…I see them. Guess we'll be making an example of all these shit bags" Watching as Drill Bit charged with his strangely yellow paint skin, the villainous leader was behind seven other gang members. One was enclosing, his hands surging with crackling electricity as another started to gather a small surge of whistling wind above his head.

"ELECTRIC PALM! TIME TO FRY YOUR NERVES!"

"Are they all this stupid to attack from the front? How did they even get this far?" Levy pondered with the blonde male enclosing in a flying leap. His hand was open, ready to encase her face as he would overload her nervous system.

The woman grunted in annoyance as she turned with her baby pointed upward…and the bayonet glistening in the artificial light with Levy grinning savagely.

"Shit"

Electric palm guy couldn't change his course…his eyes growing wider in horror and dread. "UURKK!" Bayonetting himself on the seven inch blade, the man felt his insides being torn and rendered. Slicing through his intestines, the human trafficker coughed up a spray of blood…some of which struck Levy in the face as she held him aloft for a few moments.

"Fucking idiot" Swinging her L.M.G. the man flew off with a cry of pain and horror. Crashing against the nearby wall, blood leaked like a sieve from his stomach as he gurgled and gasped.

Drill Bit grew angrier, his mind full of rage at these two villains destroying his crew and operation. "KILLL HER! THE ONE OF YOU IDIOTS THAT TAKE'S HER OUT GETS ONE OF THOSE SEX SLAVES! DRILL PRESS CHARGE!" Running forward, he sprinted past the multiple appendage crew member, but really didn't notice as he lowered his head.

"_That's right bitch. Nobody can withstand my drill once I get close. I'm going to chew up your insides with my diamond tip!"_

"What a stupid name"

Wind whipped up, flowing through the room from another of the evil-doers as he sneered with contempt.

"TORNADO!" A funnel formed, the screaming wind flowing as the quirk user aimed at Levy with the intent of killing her…and getting one of those young whores.

"Sex slaves huh…guess I should take you seriously then" McGarden uttered while Drill Bit, that raging funnel of wind, and limb like spears raced toward her. Her gaze lowered, gusts of air blowing her blue hair about…then she spoke one word that _dripped_ death.

"_**Shred**_"

Hundreds of parchment leaves formed in an instant, their forms fluttering and flowing through the surging wind as their blank faces billowed….then they struck at every attacking individual. Drill Bit was confused for a brief moment as he was surrounded by the flying paper, and thought it nothing but a weak quirk this woman had. Then…they flew through him. Slicing into his hardened body of construction steel, the villain didn't even register the fact he was already dead for at least five seconds.

Cutting and flying through their flesh and bone…muscle and sinew…each criminal died a horrid death thanks to that short haired nightmare. Hundreds of lines formed across each body…almost like a horrid crossword as they started to seep red…then they fell apart into piles of cubed flesh and skin. With the exception of Drill Bit's head, there was nothing left except one inch cubes as the woman sighed.

Distracted by the guttural screams of the ice quirk user, Levy simply shrugged as Kagura executed the man with her chainsaw. Blood sprayed and arched across the concrete floor, a visage of gore as the dark haired woman went to the next.

"Christ…I thought these quirk users were supposed to be strong? But these guys totally sucked donkey balls" Levy quipped as she rubbed her temples in annoyance. _"Get myself all worked up for a good fight and they just…charge like fucking morons"_

"Maybe other villains are much more stronger? We did read of some people with invisibility, mental quirks…even some with the ability to warp or phase through objects? These guys could just be low ranked ones"

Revving up the lancer, Kagura plunged it into a pleading criminal's chest, his arms and legs shattered as he tried to harden his skin…but to no avail. His entrails tore and became ichor, flying outward as he screamed until his dying breath.

"You could be right…well. We still have two months here. I'm sure we can fight some asshole with more brain's than this…uhh…Drag Gnat? No… Fish Net? God, he sucked" the woman finished, her heavy boots crushing some of Drill Bit's pieces as she walked toward the cage holding the victims of trafficking.

They were pressed to the far wall, fear and terror in their eyes as Yua Handa tried to shield the other girls despite her near nudity. Ample chest heaving, the brunette had watched in a stunned stupor as these two women brutally slaughtered their captors. But she knew…she knew that no hero would behave like this. If anything, their situation had just changed hands. The nineteen year old knew she would be a sex worker within days…

The lock clanged to the concrete floor the metal sliced by this scarred blunette's deadly quirk as she approached with a passive gaze. Her eyes tracked…studying each female as her frown deepened from the sight of their collars.

"Don't move"

Flicking her wrist in a play of showmanship, a lone sheaf of paper slid and sliced through the quirk cancelling collars. They fell…an echoing clang that had each one looking on in surprise.

"Get out of here. Go home to your families"

"Your…not going to sell us?" Yua asked in shock at the woman turned, her eyes hard. She still held the long weapon, the bayonet dripping with slick redness.

"They deserved to die…and you deserve to live your lives freely. No go on…get outta here, I…I have to set up my super sweet introduction! Yeah! Maybe…AWE FUCK! I SLICED THEM ALL UP!" Grasping her head, the scarred woman beat her skull in frustration.

"Don't worry, you can still pull it off Lev…there's…twelve?" She glanced near the door as the bayonet victim finally died with Normal Face shoving a broken bottle into his throat.

"Thirteen including the ones outside. Okay…yeah. Yeah! I can do this! Hey gravity bitch! We need to load up these bodies onto that truck in the loading bay!"

"AAAAAUUUUUGHHHHH!"

Kagura killed the last, her eyes flashing fire with gore and gristle coating her lower legs and armor plate from the rampant spinning of the chainsaw. "What did you just call me, Lev!?"

"Uhh…Gravity? Yeah…totally not with an insult added on. Now help me load the intact corpses!" Glancing back, Levy looked oddly at the half dozen girls. "You can leave you know? They had a few cars parked out front. Just ignore the bodies" Walking over to Drill Bit's now decapitated head, McGarden picked it up with a savage smile as she studied the square looking eyes.

"Ohh…I got one last job for you…Drunk Bat!" Chuckling oddly to herself, the six liberated…but equally terrified teenagers scurried out of the warehouse with small words of thank you on their lips…

**U.A. High School April 5****th**** 9:13 a.m. **

Midnight walked into the teacher's lounge, her outfit comprising of blue jeans and a cute, yellow top that accentuated her wonderful curves. While normally she would wear her hero suit to _inspire_ the students…specifically the males, there was little point since most of the classes were still training with their sponsors all over the region.

At least it gave her time to work on the upcoming curriculum on their return. _"Maybe I could get Aizawa to do it for me? After all, I still look great"_

Eyeing the man across the room as he sat on the couch, Nemuri was fully prepared to put her plan into action…but halted as his eyes shook. Rage…fear and horror…they were all mixed in.

"Aizawa?"

She went unanswered as Nemuri started to look around the lounge at the other teachers. Present Mic was in a silent stupor, his mouth hanging open in a bid of silence near Principle Nezu and the stooped form of Toshinori as the black scalera of his eyes shook. They were all watching the news, the report surging across the television screen embedded in the far wall.

"This is…monstrous…" Toshinori whispered, the sharp edges of his face and decrepit lines almost as hollow as his gaze.

Following his line of sight to the screen, Midnight was taken aback by the zoomed in footage of a shopping plaza. It was concentrated around a fountain, the police and several heroes keeping nosy civilian's away as they conducted their investigation.

"Oh my god…" the woman uttered in unsettled horror as the sight assaulting her eyes.

Bodies….thirteen broken, twisted and bloodied bodies of men and fourteen decapitated heads sat on the stone work of the fountain in a ring…almost like a demented clock as the life-less eyes stared outward. But the main corpses had been arranged to spell one word across the brick lined surface as some spilled intestine across the ground like a spilt bowl of spaghetti.

_**LEVY**_

"_If you're just tuning in, the city was awoken to a nightmarish sight in the Kiyashi Ward Shopping Center as the bodies of over a dozen men were discovered in a truly horrible display. While the police and pro heroes are just beginning their assessment, we have confirmed there are six witnesses of who carried out this…this attack against 'Drill Bit' A known villain wanted for multiple murders and human trafficking. It is noted that his…body was not found, only his head and…"_

The attractive news reporter with green skin grew greener, her breath going fast as her orange, curly hair became ragged from the scene behind her. Trying to brush it past elven like ears, the reporter gulped.

"_I'm sorry…Channel seven will bring you all more…updates as the investi…Please. Cut the camera"_ The female reporter gulped as the view went back to the main studio.

"That was…very unpleasant" Aizawa muttered, his gaze leaving the television as even he felt a small churn in his stomach.

"What about our students? When they see this…" Toshinori asked with a sense of growing dread…a sensation he was not very familiar with. For decades he was All Might. The number one pro hero that instilled fear and the urge to surrender in villains…but his power was fading by the day. Whoever did this… The blonde man clenched his fist, actual anger rising in worry for the young ones as he sat on the couch.

A hand came to rest on his shoulder, coming from Nezu who looked at him with reassurance. "The students are all with professional heroes. The next safest place they could be aside from our academy"

"We should still call their sponsors. This blatant…display…"

"I'll make sure get in contact with all of them"

"Still. It would be best that they stay on campus after their sponsorship is done. Whoever killed those men…is a very sick individual. As teachers, it is our responsibility to ensure their safety" Nemuri suggested.

"_I've fought some nasty villain's in my career, but most were bank robbers…crazy destructive bastards that just snapped. But whoever did this? Is dangerous…"_

Squeezing her eyes shut, Midnight tried to forget the gruesome display she…and most likely the whole country had seen while her throat went dry with a surge of dread. Grabbing her cell phone from her back pocket after a few minutes, Midnight knew Mt. Lady would know more of this situation…

**April 7****th**** 10:15 a.m. U.A. Highschool Classroom 1-A**

The heroes in training had finally returned from their training, many of them talking with low excitement as they exchanged stories with each other. Well…except for Bokugo. His time under Blue Jeanist had been a complete waste as evidenced by his slicked down locks reminiscent of the pro hero.

"Hey Bakugo. Nice hair" Kirishima teased with a wide grin from his nearby desk.

"SHUT UP YOU JACKASS!"

Chuckling, Kirishima smiled wider as he got under the skin of his friend. "But didn't you do any fighting against villains with the number three hero?"

"GRRR! All that idiot did was talk about fashion and looking good! It was a waste of time!"

"Ribbit. Speaking of villains? You all saw the news last week, right?" Tsuyu butted in, the young woman with amphibian qualities brought up. The talking of the class almost mellowed, several of the students shrinking back into themselves.

"That was awful. To think somebody could be so…so…horrific as to actually…" Momo Yaoyorozu whispered in obvious distress.

"I heard they were all villain's, but officially, the police are still investigating whatever this _Levy_ organization is" Shoto voiced, his gaze a little dark. _"Was it one of those women? I never heard their names that night"_

"It shouldn't matter if they were criminals or not….they didn't deserve to have their bodies on display like that. Being a hero is to protect everybody…even if they've done bad things. It's not our place to judge, but to ensure the safety of the public"

"Midoriya is correct. But I'm sure you all know the laws and codes of professional heroes by now. Because if you don't…I'll fail you now" Aizawa lightly threatened as he sat at his desk up front. Setting his elbows on the wooden surface, the teacher folded his hands into a ball as he lightly rested his chin on the digit's. "What the country saw last week…that is the danger of renegades or vigilantes. While I'm not privy to the investigation, the fact that all the victims were known criminals…It should serve as a lesson to you all about the dangers of straying from the path of justice and law" Expelling a tired sigh, he glanced at the clock on the wall until this free first period ended.

"_Frankly…they would've been too worked up about everything over the last week to concentrate on their morning lessons. I guess a small break is all—"_

Aizawa's light musings were interrupted as Midnight surged in, hero outfit and all.

"Kayama? Your lesson is two hours aw—"

"The news! It's—" the very beautiful hero didn't even finish. Snatching up the remote, she turned on the T.V. hanging in the upper corner of the wall.

_A rooftop was in view, towering over the cityscape of Musutafu as a warm wind blew, kicking up a few random bits of paper among the duct work and emergency door access. But that was secondary to the visage of two men wearing collars and handcuffs. Kneeling near the edge by a radio mast, the left one was glaring at the camera…or specifically, beyond it._

_Black hair wafted over his brow, matching with his pants and torn cloak. But the burns…his lower face and arms were covered in horrific burns while he continued to struggle in futility. _

_The second male nearby was in a similar state of capture as his eyes brimmed with fury and hate. Short, auburn hair barely moved, but with the strange, horned mask covering his mouth and nose, his face was mostly hidden anyway. Like the other male, his pants and shirt were black, but he was also adorned with a green bomber jacket topped with purple fur around the collar._

"_MISS LEVY! THE SIGNAL IS…IS FULL OF RAGE!"_

_The voice echoed from behind the camera but was quickly silenced by a few chuckles._

"_Thank's Normal Face!" Jumping out, a short woman with blue hair became visible along with a taller, white haired woman. Both of the females were covered in armor, but the shorter one's did appear lighter as she gave a wide grin that pulled at the four inch scar along her left cheek. A weapon was strapped to her back, the butt end appearing past her shoulder while she walked into the center of view. A strange piece of technology was strapped to her left forearm, but it was hard to see at this angle._

"_HEY EVERYBODY! So, introductions. I'm Levy McGarden and this is my friend, M.J."_

"_Hi"_

"_And behind the camera is my watermelon. He loves his rage…and eating glass for some reason…" Pondering the woman shook her head rapidly. "Ah fuck that. I didn't hack the whole city's television airwaves just to talk about a practically immortal creature!" Raising her fists, she shook them while letting out another laugh._

"_Levy. Get back on topic with this insane speech and plan of yours"_

"_Oh yeah…So basically, I killed most of those villain's last week and left their heads as a warning to others…buuutttt…" The girl paused as she finished elongating that final word. "For some stupid ass reason, the police and the heroes were horrified and thought I was a crime syndicate or some shit. I mean…I could do that if I wanted, but hey. I'm not in the business of committing…most crimes?"_

"_Except all those banks your robbed last year"_

"_Well…yeah. Bank robbery is the coolest of all crime. Besides, what was I supposed to do? Not rob them?"_

"_You…killed those men?" Dabi asked in twist of anger…and grudging respect for the brutal nature as Levy turned his way._

"_I sure did Jeff!" Getting back on track, the woman waved her arms at the city._

"_Those men were evil. Murder…human trafficking in young women for the sex trade, drugs and other shit. Honestly, they deserved worse. But…the whole justice system of this world is beyond fucked. Sparing murderers? Rapists and sadists? Hell, I caught…uh..." Levy looked at a small cue card. "Kai Chisake? God…couldn't you have a fucking normal name like Larry? Or Randy?" Tossing it away, she approached the currently quirk-less man before slapping him on the back with a grin._

"_This evil chicken-raping piece of shit was actually in the middle of torturing some poor little girl. And he runs some yakuza crime family or something…Oh…too bad I killed the rest last night, huh Randy?"_

"_Fuck you. Once I get my quirk back, I'm going to literally blow you apart"_

"_Heh…I doubt that. And don't worry about that little girl. We dropped her off at some random police station so they can help her move past all that torment you put her through" Pulling her heavy boltok sidearm, Levy raised in the blink of an eye toward the man's temple…and fired. The bullet tore through his brain in a splatter of red mist and flying shards of bone, leaving nothing above the nose as his body toppled backward. Re-holstering the weapon, the short woman stretched her hands above her head as Dabi looked at the nearby corpse with a growing sense of fear._

"_Good riddance. We just made the world a better place" Mira smirked as she strode forward with heavy boots._

"_Right? I just don't understand all these heroes running around not killing these…these taco bell enthusiasts!"_

"_What?" Dabi asked as his captor ran and peered into his hollow eyes._

"_You heard me! I know your part of the Taco Bell conspiracy! WHAT? YOU THINK I WOULDN'T NOTICE THE BLACK HELICOPTERS!?"_

"_Levy…calm down. You're starting to get worked up again"_

"_Right…right" Pulling her flask, the woman drank deeply before replacing it. "You know Mira, we should really think of a name for our group? The bad guy slayers?"_

"_That sucks"_

"_Lords of un-crime?"_

"_Even worse"_

"_Ughh…I guess Villain Hunters would work? Whatever! I guess I'll just pick the next targets!" Reaching into yet another pocket, the not-unbalanced woman pulled out three pictures before showing them to the camera. "Muscular! Moonfish! And…Himiko Toga! You three are my next targets! But hey, if you turn yourselves in…YOU LIVE! So, either face me and the Villain Hunters and die a horrible death…or surrender and live!"_

"_You're crazy!" Dabi barked in an utter of frustration as he tried to wriggle and move._

_Levy turned, surprise on her face as she reeled back. "HOLY FUCK! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE!?"_

"_That's my bad. I'll take care of it though" Mira replied as she stepped forward. Unslinging her lancer, the blades reflected sunlight as her gaze became that of a demon. "You enjoyed burning innocent people alive…something that I should return, but your screams would be really annoying"_

"_Fuck you, cunt"_

_Mira's eye below her scar twitched, but only for a moment as she flicked on the chainsaw. Roaring to life, the blades hissed and buzzed while the rifle rumbled in her gloved hands. _

"_Die like the monster you are" Leaning forward, the teeth tore into muscle and flesh in a horror of bursting gore and flying viscera. It splattered her heavy armor, arcs of blood hitting like warm rain as she continued to cut._

"_AAAAAUUUGHHH!"_

"_EAT SHIT AND DIE!" _

_Burrowing into the chest cavity, the man split apart as Mira finally finished. Speckles of red dotted her chin and beautiful cheekbones, the red slowly dripping._

"_Well…that was messy. I really thought you would just throw him off?"_

"_Miss Levy! I'm detecting numerous lifeforms encroaching on our position! I believe they are heroes attempting to capture you and Miss Mirajane!"_

"_Time to go then" Mira reasoned as she let a small grunt escape her lips…and grew wings out of the back of her armor. Purplish red and satanic looking, the white-haired woman started to sprint toward Levy as a watermelon jumped onto the blunette's head with a blank look._

"_Well! Till next time folks! It's been lots of fun killing these monsters for you!"_

"_I hope the next fight I'm able unleash…my rage" The melon uttered darkly as Mira scooped up the two and flew off, leaving nothing but the video equipment and two corpses in their wake._

The video cut out a minute later, ending the illegal broadcast as the most of the student's gained a pale look. Even Midnight and Eraser Head were disturbed by the events.

"That was…pretty damn gnarly" Bakugo voiced minutes later, his normal temperament taking a back seat.

"She was completely insane. No trial or justice…just executions and mental rambling" Mina Ashido input, her voice lightly cracking. Normally she was fun and bubbly, but this? This would give her nightmares for sure.

Midnight let out a very weary sigh, her palm caressing her neck in frustration. "They probably escaped judging by how fast that Mira woman took flight. But now the authorities know what they look like. It was a very grievous error on their part"

"Yeah. Those two will be hunted anywhere they go" Aizawa commented in a tired tone as the intercom crackled.

"_Attention students. This is Principal Nezu. In light of that…broadcast, I am suspending classes for the rest of the day. If any of you wish to talk or discuss this…event with your teachers, please do. My door will be open. I only want the best for all of your health and well-being, physically and mentally. That is all"_

Eraser Head stood, his gaze almost blank. "You heard him. Class is dismissed. If you need to talk, find Hound Dog or one of the other teachers" Leaving the room, the dour man left his class as many slowly regained the color in their faces from the awful event's…

**Two weeks later April 28th… Kiyashi Ward 2:33 p.m.**

Every day.

Every day there were fresh murders of villain's and their cohorts throughout the city. Crucifixion's…beheadings…bodies disemboweled or torn apart as Levy and her cohorts butchered those they deemed as…_monsters._ Most were public displays, such as Muscular and Moonfish who were found hanging from lampposts…with their legs and arms removed. The limbs weren't even near their swinging bodies…instead, the bloodied appendages had been found in a garbage dumpster a block away.

Those were the first two after the execution broadcast with the reveal of Levy…but it didn't stop. Any violent criminal that murdered…beat or abused children or women…sexual assault. They were all being hunted. With the burnt and charred corpse of Mr. Compress discovered in a city park among smoldering ashes, the total body count had risen to fifty three villains killed by the end of the month.

The worst part is that Levy would actually call a random hero and inform of her next target. Almost to mock the likes of the men and women protecting the citizenry.

Only Himiko Toga hadn't been found. Which meant her body hadn't been discovered…or she was hiding in fear for her life.

Yu Takeyama…most commonly known as Mt. Lady, walked along the shopping plaza's pathway with Midnight at her side. Wearing her signature purple and white bodysuit, the woman tossed her head slightly to give a bounce of her blonde hair. She knew she looked good, drawing many stares…but some seemed pre-occupied. Casting a slightly annoyed glance at the older female, Yu could feel Midnight stealing some of her voluptuous thunder.

"Why are you here again? Don't you have students to teach or something?"

"It's Saturday. Plus, you never know if the _Villain Hunters _will strike in the area" Nemuri reasoned back as crowds of shoppers weaved around the two beautiful heroes.

"Get real. That Levy woman has been outsmarting all of us since she left those heads around that fountain despite her unbalance. And when All Might with Mirko and the police tracked that call last week to her lair? Nothing but a note saying, 'better luck next time' Letting out a confused sigh, Mt. Lady kept walking on the patrol.

"Something wrong? Aside from the brutal murders committed by this group on a daily basis?" Midnight inquired. Winking as somebody glanced at her ass, the woman returned her attention to her younger rival.

"Am I a bad hero for thinking that…some of these villains deserved to die? I read the report on Drill Bit from those girls…their plans for those teenagers was sickening"

Shuddering lightly, Yu couldn't deny that Levy and the second accomplice '_Gravity'_ or Kagura had saved their lives and freedom….despite the horrific means. Coupled with Mira and her flight quirk along with that student's description, the authorities now knew there was most likely four women in this group of killers.

However…The troubling thing was their quirks. From what those women had informed the police, Levy and Kagura could rival top tier heroes with their abilities. Little was known about the melon or the red head…only that they were part of it.

"I would be lying if I haven't had the same thought, but we need to catch them soon. The public is getting stressed out about it all" Walking past a hot dog stand set up in an open air food court, the two heroes were about to continue when their attention was ripped by two voices.

"Seriously Levy. You don't need to buy six hot dogs and a large coke….Unless your trying to get fat?"

"Shut up Kagura! I'm starving! Besides? You bought three which is nearly the same amount"

"Three is not six"

Midnight and Mt. Lady stopped in their tracks, heads slowly cocking to one side in disbelief. Right there…barely twenty feet away was the infamous murderer and her associate as they ordered hot dogs and drinks. The short stature of Levy…her blue hair along with that strange device on her left forearm. And from the descriptions, that had to be Kagura with her.

Neither were wearing armor or weapons…just normal clothing. Well…except for Levy. Her blue shirt proclaimed herself as a 'mad genius' in sparkling, purple letters with the fabric hugging some sizable breasts. Kagura's were even larger, probably rivaling Nemuri's own in a tight, yellow shirt that flowed to her blue skirt. The duo turned with several disposable baskets stacked with hot dogs and their drinks.

"No way…right here?" Yu asked in a light state of shock. Police and heroes were scouring the city on constant patrols, and this savage murderer was…buying hot dogs?

Kagura and Levy were walking toward them, arms full and completely defenseless. The two heroes continued to study the situation with blinking eyes and surprise.

"Hey…nice outfits. Really shows off the womanly vibe" Levy grinned, the now infamous scar pulling at her cheek as the two headed for a nearby table.

They sat…completely at ease before the two started to eat. While Kagura ate with care and manners, Levy simply dug in with gusto and mirth.

"This is Mt. Lady at the food court in Kiyashi Ward! Levy and Kagura are here!" The hero whisper-shouted into her communications embedded into her suit.

"_ALL MIGHT IS ON THE WAY! WITH MIRKO AND THE POLICE!"_

Yu winced, her ear ringing. _"Does he have to be that loud every-time on the radio?"_

"Should we engage?" Mt. Lady asked as Midnight shook her head.

"No. We're waiting for All Might for these two. We just observe until reinforcements arrive" Hurrying to another table nearby, the two women tried to look inconspicuous with the milling of civilians constantly too and fro.

"So many people…if they fight…" Midnight mentioned in a bit of caution. Briefly thinking of unleashing her somnambulist, she shook her head. Women always held out longer…far too long for Levy and her friend to unleash their deadly quirks. Nemuri would have to be smart about this as they kept up their vigil.

"Dammit Lev! Stop eating like a pig!" Kagura scolded in a harsh whisper.

*_Scarnf…chew chew…slurppp!* _

Swallowing everything, the shorter female almost whined as she finished hot dog number three. "But I'm really hungry!"

"That's another thing. We had food back at base…our safe base, without the heroes searching for us"

"Ahhh relax will ya! Even if they surround us by some stupid chance that's not my fault in any way, shape or form, they can't beat us!" Taking a big bite from hot dog number four, the woman idly pondered as she chewed. "Unless they bring All Might. He probably could beat us"

An incoming crash of wight and force cracked the pavement near their table, revealing the towering, muscular form a blonde man with a dazzling smile. Wearing a mainly blue suit with red and white, he raised his heavily ripped arms with the sun almost shining at his back. A truly heroic entrance as a light breeze ruffled the two standing points of his heroic locks.

"FEAR NOT CITIZENS! FOR ALL MIGHT IS HERE!"

Cheers erupted from the shoppers nearby, but quickly dispersed as the police started to set up a barricade. A woman raced to a stop seconds later near the buff male, her speed very impressive as she eyed the two murderers…eating lunch.

Wearing purple leggings that ran up to mid-thigh, they ended and left her tanned hips exposed to the light. Traveling further upward, a white leotard with a large, crescent moon decorated her bust and torso. White, flowing hair flowed past her waist, fluttering easily while rabbit hears stuck out of her head. This was the number five hero, Rumi Usagiyama aka. Mirko.

"Ahh…what a lazy plot device…" Levy muttered before going back to eating her hot dog.

"LEVY! THEY FUCKING FOUND US!" Kagura yelled, her voice cracking as the four heroes' gazes never wavered.

*_Chew chew…slurppp*_

"ARE YOU STILL EATING!?"

"Well…yeah? Just because they showed up to arrest us does not mean I'm wasting these hot dogs!" Taking another bite, the woman chewed happily.

"I guess we could let her finish…?" All Might murmured as Mirko grunted.

"You have got to be kidding. We need to arrest them!" starting to run forward, the beautiful rabbit hero used her top most speed to close the gap between herself and Kagura.

The gravity mage was already standing, her fingers pointed upward…then increased the universal force by three in the area. Mirko grunted, the sudden weight almost making her collapse as the same happened to Midnight and Mt. Lady nearby.

"W…what?" the rabbit woman uttered in shock as her face broke out in sweat. It felt like she had just gained hundreds of pounds! Taking a knee, her muscles quivered with increased breathing.

All Might frowned, his bulk taking the first step toward the black haired woman.

"DON'T! I ONLY HAVE IT ON THREE TIMES THE GRAVITY, BUT I CAN INCREASE IT PAST TEN IN A SECOND!" The female yelled in warning.

"Man…these are some good hot dogs"

"Give up, Kagura. You two Levy. Even as we stand here, more heroes and police are on their way…you can't win against us this time" Toshinori lightly warned as he took a step forward. "I know you don't target the innocent…or heroes. You believe in punishing evil-doers, but murdering them isn't the answer" Casting a gaze to the crazy one at the table, the large man was wracked with more surprise.

"_Is she still eating?"_

A disgusting burp echoed, making the women groan at the sound while Levy finally stood with a bright smile.

"Damn! That really hit the spo-HOLY SHIT KAGURA! WE'RE SURROUNDED BY HEROES!" Levy yelled in utter surprise with widened eyes. Chest lightly heaving in frustration, the gravity mage gave her a deadpanned stare as she kept the three females at bay.

"Did…you not hear me earlier?"

"I was eating. You know how I get"

Midnight saw her chance, the two wanted criminals distracted as she struggled against the increased gravity below her. Pulling part of her suit down near her neck, the stunning woman unleashed a mist of purplish pink haze toward the two across the plaza. It surrounded them in moments…being breathed in as Kagura collapsed from the knock out gas after a few struggling moments.

"Shit…roofied…and bunny girl is…gonna…lesbo rape…me…" Levy chuckled before falling like a bag of bricks to the plaza.

"What..? WHAT!? WHERE THE HELL DID SHE EVEN GET THAT IDEA!?" Mirko raged as the mist cleared. Policemen ran forward, quirk cancelling cuffs slapping around both women's hands as they were quickly restrained.

"Be happy Mirko! We captured the criminals with no destruction or endangering of life!" All Might bellowed with a grin and chuckle. The rabbit woman grumbled, glancing as the two were soon placed into a secure police vehicle for transport to the nearest station.

"Don't celebrate just yet. Half of their crew is still at large in the city" Yu reminded the large man. Giving a curt nod, his smile and blonde hair seemed to sparkle.

"Very Well! Let me know when we can interrogate them! Now…All Might is leaving!" Jumping upward, the famous hero disappeared and left the three women and police to their thoughts about the recent victory…

**Six hours later… Kiyashi Ward 4****th**** Street Precinct. Interrogation room #3**

Levy woke with a groan of annoyance as she lifted her head from the very plain…and very white table. Attempting to rub the effects of…whatever the hell had happened with her hands, she found them stuck. Looking down, she found them encased in strange, metal gloves that were bolted to the table by a heavy chain. They were rounded, glowing a soft green and completely covering her hands and fingers. Testing the restraints, she found a few inches of leeway to sit comfortably…but not much.

"_What the hell is this? Don't they know I'm famous? And where is my multiverse timer?"_

Grunting, she tried to move the table with a push of straining effort.

It was bolted to the floor. Same with her chair.

"Dammit!" Stupid metal legs!" Levy cursed as she settled back in the chair. Breathing in a hard exhale, she studied her surroundings. There wasn't much. Aside from a camera hanging in the upper corner near a single door, there was only a giant, reflective mirror set into the wall across from her and a second chair.

"Is this that rabbit woman's sex dungeon?"

A muffled yell came from behind the glass, almost like random cursing while the single door opened.

The first thing Levy noticed were the prominent, purple horns sticking out of the blonde woman's head. She wore a simple mask, outlining her eyes while her full body suit showed off her curves. Walking in, Mt. Lady wore a hard gaze as she carried a folder.

"Are you the key master? Because that other chick you were with looked like some…dominatrix porn star?"

Yu stopped, the tiniest of smiles tugging at her lips. She knew Midnight, Endeavor, Mirko, and several detectives were on the other side of the glass. But…she couldn't be seen laughing at the older cow's expense…especially with this monster in the room.

Taking a seat across from Levy, she opened the folder and spread out the photos of victims.

"You're in a police station. Now…do you recognize these people?"

"Not really"

"You have to actually look at them, Levy"

"Ugh…fine" Leaning forward, she started to study the picture of torn bodies…crucifixions and decapitated heads with a growing smile on her lips. "So, you're a fan of monster killing? That's cool"

"They were people, just like you. I watched you publicly execute two victims on the news"

"Uhh…no? Mira killed one of those assholes. And they were monsters, not people"

Mt. Lady sighed in exasperation. "You do understand that you can't kill villains, no matter how many crimes they commit?"

"Sure, I can. Monsters are monster's no matter what they look like"

"That is a very…morbid view of the world. None of these men deserved to die. But we don't really need your confession anyway with all the evidence. Once your friend wakes up, we can offer her a deal to give up your friends. Your spree of murder and butchery are over"

Levy blinked at this blonde woman across from her…then burst out in a fit of laughter.

"HAHAHAHA! YOU….YOU THINK KAGURA WILL FLIP ON US!? HOW DUMB ARE YOU PEOPLE!?"

Yu scowled, her gaze growing stern. Leaning forward, her voice became laced with authority while she glared at the scarred bluenette. "Fifty-three counts of first-degree murder. All of you are facing life in prison without the possibility of parole. But…if you give us your friends…you might be available for the possibility in thirty to forty years"

Levy went silent…then slowly leaned forward as the chain scrapped across the desk as she stared into Yu's eyes. "You really think that fucking scares me? Because it doesn't. Even if I didn't have another two hundred plus years of life, not a single fucking prison on this planet can hold me and my friends"

"Heh…You'll be placed in the darkest hole of the highest security prison in Japan. A cell specifically designed to counter and subdue your quirk. No contact with anyone…no visitors…nothing but _decades_ of solitude to pay for your crimes"

Levy grinned savagely, the scar pulling along her cheek as she prepared her response.

"I'm going to list off the fucking reasons why your dumb-ass plans wont work. One. I am a god damn insane genius that hacked your entire countries news network with spare parts and outdated computer chips…while partially drunk. Two. Normal Face would find me and slaughter every guard to free myself and my fellow sisters. Three. I am from the fucking multiverse and in six weeks and change, I will _shift _away from this world no matter where you put me!" Pausing, the short haired criminal stood as fluttering pieces of paper and parchment formed around her.

"AND FOUR! I AM LEVY FUCKING MCGARDEN! I HAVE BURNT WHOLE CONTINENTS TO ASH! BUTCHERED CITIES AND SAVED WHOLE WORLDS IN THE MULTIVERSE! I STAND ON A MOUNTAIN OF CORPSES WITH MY FIRE KING AT MY SIDE! YOU THINK A FEW SHITTY VILLAIN'S EVEN MATTER TO ME!" The paper sliced through the restraints, freeing the woman's hands in an instant as she leaped over the table and pinned Yu against the glass. Pressing her left forearm into the taller blonde's throat, dozens of sheets danced and swirled around Levy…like they were waiting to spill blood.

Yu felt her blood run cold as she stared down at the furious face of blue hair…a vicious scar and eyes filled with nightmares.

"You have no…_fucking _idea of the horrors I've seen…the butchery I've tried to prevent. I've been to a world where a woman like you…would be a sex slave. Worlds with undead cannibals and blood raining from the sky. Orbital fire and oceans of ash! Mutants that would _skin _you alive while they dug out your entrails. Conflicts and wars that raged across continents. I have literally stood a dozen feet away from my own…bleeding corpse. And faced monsters that would make you _shit _yourself!" Pulling away, the woman glared with the embers of death in her eyes as Yu gulped with the ice of dread in her heart. "I don't have a quirk…none of my friends do. I wield magic…magic for slaying all my enemies. I could kill every man and woman in this building….and the surrounding neighborhoods with barely a thought. Kagura? She could increase the gravity by twenty if she felt like it and crush you all to paste before you even knew you were dead"

Turning toward the door, a few dozens swirling pieces of paper shot out…and sliced the barrier to pieces. Taking a step, the woman was interrupted while plaster and drywall rained down in a cloud of dust.

"S…S..STOP!"

Levy turned her head, eyes locking onto Mt. Lady as she tried to regain her composure.

"I…I can't let you go and take more lives!"

"…I respect a woman standing tall…fighting for what's right. But…if you or any other heroes try to stop our group…we won't be as forgiving next time"

Stepping through the gaping wall where the door had been, Levy saw three familiar heroes standing there with police officers. They had drawn their weapons, pointing at Levy with firm stances.

Grunting, the female sent her magical parchment through each firearm in a spurn of movement…and they fell apart. Clattering to the floor, Midnight gulped as the woman stared her way with eyes locking.

"You got the drop on me…not many have done that. If you try again…" Levy sent more fluttering leaves of paper past the woman and Endeavor, the bulking hero with flames covering his body giving an angry glare. They cut through the next doorway, a heavier steel that fell apart with a clatter of shards.

"I will see you as a threat…"

Walking past, Levy kept up a cone of fluttering paper, the blank sheets flowing around any officer and hero like murderous water. Stepping into the brighter hall, there was another crash from the distant left as the former prisoner disappeared from view with the light fall of bootsteps.

"_Oh Kagura? Your already free too?"_

"_No thanks to your hot dog engorgement"_

"_Come on…it wasn't that bad. And good news! I saw three female heroes that would definitely sleep with Natsu if given the chance…Just like you!"_

"_What did I say about trying to volunteer me for the 'sisterhood' you crazy bitch?"_

"_Hahahaha…"_

The laughter faded, leaving the men and women in a recovering state of shock.

"Magic…? That's…impossible? We had her restrained…the quirk cancelling cuffs have never failed…" Mirko added with a mumble of shock. Looking at the gaping wall and bits of steel that was an added security measure…the woman gulped. She knew some heroes had hardened skin of steel or iron, but that woman cut through it like butter…_with flying paper._

"_What would that do to a normal body!? …and who the hell is Natsu!?"_ The rabbit like woman shuddered, trying to banish the thought as Endeavor marched past, his face a scowl of anger.

"I'll burn her magic paper to ash. I'm the second strongest hero in Japan and won't let some…murderer escape no matter what!"

"Fuck…" Midnight didn't scare easily…but for a brief moment as Levy locked eyes with her… _"It was like the deepest depths of hell"_

Yu stepped out of the interrogation room, her hands visibly shaking. _"She could've killed me…whenever she wanted. There would have been no warning…just…death"_ Ragged breathing made her throat hitch with a crack…but Mt. Lady knew she still had to…do something. Anything.

"We…we need to…we need to stop them, somehow. Before those two endanger innocent lives"

"How?" Mirko inquired, her red eyes still…shaking at the terror of that woman.

"By helping Endeavor…calling All Might, and finding any heroes that can counter these two" Yu replied with a determined gulp…but dammit, that woman _terrified _her to her core as she moved to the hallway…and followed the path of destruction throughout the station…

**Outside the 4****th**** Street Precinct **

Reporters had gathered outside the steps of the police station, their news vans and camera crews waiting for a statement from an officer inside. Most were feeding looping updates, speaking into the microphones as the brisk, spring air of the night cooled the city.

A curvaceous field reporter stood at the front of the pack, her face awash in the light of the live camera feed from her partner. A professional woman in her mid twenties, she was well known for her willingness to expose herself to danger in a bid to bring the citizens of Musutafu coverage of disasters, villain attacks, and inclement weather.

Sakura Sato was red…literally. The smooth, beautiful features of her red skin only seemed to make her more stunning with her full lips, cute button nose, and sculpted cheekbones. Eyes of burning green emerald peered into the camera while long, flowing hair of a darker red traced down her back to her slim waist. Wearing a professional pant suit of creamy white, it was no wonder she was a rising star in the news world.

"If your just joining us at Channel three, I am Sakura Sato reporting in front of the 4th street precinct where two of the infamous 'Villain Hunters' were taken after capture by some of our beloved heroes" Her voice was melodious…a trustworthy tone as she waved a hand to encompass the structure behind her. "As you can see, it's been several hours without any statement. Most likely the deadly culprits are being interrogated in the ho-!"

The front doors to the station blew apart in a hail of tiny cubes, the glass, metal and other debris falling down the stone steps as several officers turned with surprise….and a growing sense of dread.

Standing in the gaping hole…was Levy McGarden and Kagura Mikazuchi. The shorter one was reattaching some strange device to her left arm, a grin spreading across her face while a police-man's hat sat upon her head.

"Well! That was a great nap!"

"Don't waste time, Levy. We were captured in the first place because of you" Kagura vented, her arms crossed and annoyance in her voice.

"Oh…relax will ya? Now I have to make a statement" Eyes narrowing, she didn't like how all the male reporters were undressing her with her eyes. Of course…this was only in her head. Most of the gathered had taken a cautionary step backward.

"They…THEY ESCAPED! Ladies and Gentlemen at home, the two criminals have already escaped custody and are walking down the steps! Where are the heroes to stop them!?" Sakura said into her microphone as she looked into the camera…then back to the duo of women…who were walking her way.

A burst of roiling fire came from the destroyed entrance, showing Endeavor standing there in his full glory. Immediately spotting the two escapees, he scowled.

"_They're surrounded by civilians. I can't attack without bringing them to harm" _

"Levy! Kagura! Stop your actions immediately!" the flame engulfed hero bellowed, his ire rising while Midnight, Mt. Lady and Mirko ran out with a few gasps of breath and a hint of growing dread.

Kagura scowled…then raised her hand as her magic flowed outward toward the police men and heroes.

"Gravity increase…time's five"

Endeavor collapsed, his weight crushing as he hit the concrete steps with the others. A police officer cried out, his arm breaking from the fall.

"No…not again…" Yu whispered as she struggled to breath. Her breasts were squishing against the ground…a painful mash that Midnight and Mirko were no doubt enduring.

"Don't move. I am in no mood to deal with you all again" Mikazuchi warned with a voice colder than ice as the heroes struggled…to no avail. Turning away from the immobilized group, the attractive gravity mage groaned. Levy was already near that crimson skinned reporter…and not trying to flee at all. _"How is she so smart when she does stupid crap like this?"_

"Hey? You want a small interview with me and my friend…uh…super sexy red woman?" Levy asked, her eyes studying the ample busom, slim waist and long legs of Sakura. _"Natsu could definitely make her night…"_

Sakura gulped, her eyes brimming with fear as this serial killer stood a mere three feet away. She wanted to run…but she was frozen as her hand gripping the microphone slowly rose on its own.

"S…sure. Our vie…viewers would…would like that" Sakura's voice was a crackle of terror as the shorter female smiled warmly with that vicious scar pulling.

"Great!" Levy boomed while she planted her hands on her hips and gave a giant grin. The police hat bounced on her head…along with her ample chest under her shirt with her legs planted wide. "First off, don't worry everybody! I managed to escape jail with my future harem sister!"

"DON'T TELL THE WHOLE COUNTRY THAT YOU IDIOT!" Kagura blushed lightly with a bark of anger before turning away with a small 'hmfh!'

"A…a harem? You?"

"That's right! One of…eleven strong, beautiful women for our warrior king, Natsu Dragneel! Ah…he's so fucking sexy and strong. He really knows how to please the ladies…" Shaking her head, Levy got back on topic. "Annyyway! Your heroes seem to think we are crazed killers or something an—"

"Didn't you execute a victim on that roof? And are responsible for fifty three deaths over the last few weeks?"

"Well…yeah? But they were really bad guys that murdered, raped, trafficked human's, and destroyed innocent lives. Nobody gives a shit about them" Levy replied back with a questioning glance. Kagura turned at that point, her ears blocking out the helpless heroes as the camera set on her.

"Please understand. Our only targets are evil-doers. Innocent children…law abiding citizens and even law enforcement have nothing to fear from us. I realize our methods are…frankly speaking, brutal. But evil does not care. Until we move on, we will continue to hunt and vanquish those that knowingly participate in such wickedness"

"But the rule of law and justice is a fu—" Sakura started to interrupt before Levy snapped a hand to silence her. "From where we come from, our actions would be well within the limits of the law. Hell, We would be rewarded for doing all of this on our world. But…that's the crappy thing about the multiverse. Some world's think protecting villains is the right thing when all it does is prolong the eventual strain and collapse of justice. But…AWE SHIT! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT HER!" Levy ranted as she threw her police hat to the ground.

"W…who?" Sakuro Sato asked simply, watching this insane woman rant. "_Did she say the multiverse?"_

"That Himiko Toga chick! She's on our list!"

"Are you sure about that one, Levy? I mean…it's mostly a few robberies and assault. Hardly anything different than what you've done"

"NO WAY! EITHER SHE SURRENDERS TO SOME GREEN HAIRED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT OR WE TAKE HER OUT! Fuck it! Come on Gravity!" Running toward a random news van, the scientist yanked the driver's door open.

"That's not my name you insane, fat-titted midget!" Kagura barked as she ran around and climbed onto the passenger seat. The door slammed shut, Levy rolling down the window as she looked toward Sakura.

"Sooo…I'm gonna borrow your van to hunt a criminal"

"That's not my van"

"GREAT! NO PROBLEM THEN!" Shifting into drive, the tires squealed with the woman flooring it in a stench of burnt rubber. They rounded the corner, a cackle of laughter piercing the air as the busty reporter looked on with a grin.

"You…got everything, right?" Sakura smiled at her camera man who nodded with a thumbs up.

"Oh yeah. A channel three exclusive with two of the Villain Hunters"

"I'll definitely get a rai—Oh!" Sakura realized as the scene continued to be spread across the citywide television network. Composing herself, she patted down her jacket before giving a wavering smile. "That was Channel Three's exclusive with the two criminals who are now at large once more. We will now get an interview with Endeavor and the other heroes" Running up the steps, she pressed the microphone near Endeavour's visibly angry face.

"Endeavor? How do you feel about being completely overwhelmed by those two and humiliating all heroes? Surely you took proper precautions to disable their quirks?"

Standing tall, his face was impassive as the three females tried to ignore the crushing sense of defeat.

"No comment"

**May 1st…11:17 a.m.**

Himiko Toga crouched low to the pavement, her dirty and scuffed boots barely making a sound in the parking garage as she crept between vehicles. Cheeks smudged with grime and hair beyond greasy, she had kept moving. Safety with other criminals was impossible, the vile beings most likely to turn her in to that insane group that was hunting her. Looking down at how filthy her school girl outfit was, she wanted to cry that she had slept in the sewer last night…but she had heard…_her _before running into this vehicle park.

The red one…the one that had killed Twice in their tiny hideout while she had made a scrambling escape. Himiko had fallen three stories, taking injuries…but it was better than taking a chainsaw to her chest as she ran…and ran…and ran.

She had briefly thought of turning herself in, but she had a feeling those four had laid traps…just like what had happened to that criminal, Mustard.

Pulling the handle of a beat up sedan painted a sickly yellow, it clicked open. Maybe the owner forgot…or just didn't care if this old vehicle was stolen. Sliding into the seat as she slowly shut the door, Himiko began to hotwire the car.

"_I'm telling you Mira. If I was that girl, I would seek transportation to escape too"_

The voice made her skin crawl, causing a flow of tears as her thumbs worked. Looking through the back window…she saw them. Full armor and weapons…all four of them and that watermelon from the roof killings at the far end of the ground level lot.

"No…no no no no…" Himiko whispered as her adrenaline spiked with her fear. Twisting the final wire, the car roared to life. Throwing it into drive, the sixteen year hit the gas and floored her stolen ride. Yanking the wheel as she burned out of the parking spot, she headed toward the exit as a few shouts and stray rounds impacted the car. The back window shattered, bullets blowing through as Himiko turned onto the nearby avenue in a squeal of burning rubber and a discarded hubcap.

"Shit…SHIT! SHIT! I MADE IT!" The blonde cheered as she increased her speed. Looking behind her, she saw the now infamous Mirajane standing in the middle of the road…and growing wings from her back. "NO! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" The girl screamed in futility to nobody a she swerved through traffic.

A glint of reflective sunlight temporarily stunned her eye, drawing her gaze to the twin pillars of U.A High School sitting on a hill only a few miles away. Taking a hard right, the pursued criminal felt the tears trickle down her cheeks as her gaze settled on the building.

"U.A…my only chance…"

Pressing the accelerator harder, the sedan picked up speed with Mira and the others hot on her trail toward the famous academy for heroes…

**Damn! I wrote this pretty fast! I thought it would take longer…but nope! And if you have an issue with how I display the quirks or how magic is stronger, too bad. Now is every single hero at a disadvantage against Levy and crew? No, but they have been through some pretty nasty situations, many without their magic. Honestly, without their quirks, most heroes would simply get killed against the locust, zombies, or in heavy combat situation…which my characters have survived. But hey, Midnight is still effective if she can get the drop on them, same with gun heroes or others with long range.**

**Anyway…I've already killed some major villains and the girls will be meeting Midoriya, his class and Mei Hatsume who let's face it…basically Levy lol. Obviously All Might as well lol. Oh, and I'm going to start tidying up some of my earlier COG Chapters when I have the time. They're…pretty rough. Just shows how much I've grown in skill since I started.**

**Still, I hope everybody reads, reviews, and enjoys!**

**Mei: WOW! So I'll get to build stuff with Levy! COOOL! Well…except for the murdering stuff…**

**Levy: Whats more important? Science? Or trying to capture me?**

**Mei: Hmmm…science?**

**Levy: YESSS!**

**Midnight: What are you doing here!? AND WHO IS NATSU!?**

**Erza: You should really get laid. I know the perfect man to take care of you too…**

**Kagura: NO! NO! NO! NO! AHHHHHH!**

**N.F. RAGE MELON!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	15. Academia (Part Two)

**Hello! I am back with the second part of MHA! I hope everybody will enjoy it and find it fun to read! Did end up killing some major villains last time…oh well! **

**Nothing really news worthy except I'll write a few more chapters for No Hope after this. I really want to wrap up that story and will try in six chapters or so. Other than that…enjoy the story! **

**OH! As of this point in the anime, Himiko Toga hasn't actually met Izuku Midoriya, just seen him on the t.v. during the sports festival. But, since I've already killed so many villains already…IT DOESN'T MATTER! MWAHAHAHA! Also, if I make a mistake about locations or anything, let me know.**

**P.S. If I don't have the girls in their Gear armor, just picture them in their normal clothes.**

**Mira= Tight, black pants and a purple T-shirt with 'Property of Natsu' written in red letters**

**Levy= Khaki Cargo pants and blue shirt with 'Mad Genius' written in sparkling white letters. Pair of blue lensed goggles resting along her hairline (Like Baird in Gears of War)**

**Erza= Black Cargo pants and a red tank-top**

**Kagura= A purple skirt and yellow shirt a flower design.**

**These are their "Walking around outfits" And for the most part, the standard outside of Gear armor and underlaying clothing.**

**I still don't own any media. **

**Chapter 15: Academia (Part Two)**

* * *

**Universe 23667849-M**

**U.A. High School May 1****st**** 11:23 a.m.**

Midoryia slowly picked at his lunch, trying to calm his raging mind of recent events. It had only been a few days since the two villain hunters escaped custody…along with that troubling broadcast. Picking up his sandwich, the green haired teenager started to chew as the warm breeze of coming summer tussled his hair.

He had decided to eat his lunch outside with some of his friends as they tried to enjoy the warmth and sunshine, but he could tell by their subdued looks at what they were probably thinking…especially Todoroki at the far corner of their table.

"I…just can't believe how easily they beat those pro heroes. Ribbit" Asui mumbled in distress, her fork picking at her salad. Wedged between the fire/ice user and Ochaco Uraraka, the shorter girl described the whole issue in one sentence.

"And what was all that stuff about the multiverse? I mean? That was totally crazy, right?" Mina Ashido quipped in from Midoriya's right. Brushing some of her pink hair away from her brow, the acid user had been invited to sit with them all thanks to Uraraka…not that Izuku had a problem with that.

"Unfortunately, it appears this whole group is not only well versed in combat and mastery of their dangerous quirks, but mentally unbalanced. Well…Levy McGarden is. I would have to say that Kagura is more composed from what I observed during that latest news report" Iida reasoned from the far-right past Mina. Taking a bite of his own food and chewing slowly, his gaze fell across the outdoor picnic area near the cafeteria.

The area was sizeable with several trimmed hedges and trees to add to the ambiance while mixed in with multiple paths for relaxation. A pair of double doors was on the left, leading to the actual cafeteria and more students within. Craning his head further, Iida smiled a bit at the sight of the two larger structures of the school that bracketed the main walkway toward the front gate. While he couldn't see the actual entrance from here because of the twin school buildings that held the many classrooms and training centers, he knew it was there.

"I just wonder…what kind of life they had to have had to simply…hunt people" Uraraka suggested slowly before she took a small sip of her juice. The prospects running in her mind were not pleasant.

Midoriya had a theory about how they could be so callous about killing, but he never got to voice it. The revving of an engine mixed with squealing tires reached all gathered at the table…then the crashing of the entrance gate as steel bent.

"Wha…what's going on!?" Izuku asked with a shout as he stood up. Before he knew it, he was running toward the main walkway that led to the school's front with his friends hot on his steps.

Smoke billowed, flowing upward in acrid plumes from a vehicle wreck at the nearby entrance. The hood had crumpled against the gate, the barrier lightly twisted as glass littered the nearby pavement. Hanging open slightly, the security of U.A. High was compromised as a blonde girl kicked open the now ruined passenger door.

Squeezing through the gap of rendered bars, the young woman was filthy…and scared with tears running down her cheeks as a piece of metal tore at her side from the accident.

Himiko Toga gasped at the fresh wound, slapping a hand to the gash above her hip as she turned her gaze skyward in dread.

"No…It's Mira…"

Starting to run as fast as she could, the young villain heard the screeching of tires in pursuit as the others came to a stop just outside the gate. Blood seeped through her fingers, staining her already ruined skirt as she ran for her life. Smudged and marred shoes slapped against the wide walkway of the academy, her breathing ragged as Himiko finally spotted a friendly face in the distance.

"_That's…Izuku Midoriya from the sports festival…he…he can…"_

"PLEASE HELP ME!" Himiko cried out with her free hand outstretched. A roiling explosion of green and purple lit up the air behind her, making the fearful teenager look over her shoulder.

The gate and car were gone. Consumed by a fresh blast as Mirajane came in for a landing right before the magical blast as it quickly dissipated into tendrils of smoke and ash. Four others soon strode through the billowing smoke as Erza, Kagura, Levy and that strange watermelon joined Mira…and started to walk slowly forward in pursuit of the target.

"MIDORIYA! PLEASE HELP ME!" Toga cried out as she tried to run faster and close the distance.

That cry of help…that plea of fear finally snapped the young man out of his gaze. Putting a small bit of full cowl into his feet, the hero in training leaped forward with determination on his face. He landed near Himiko, his hands already pushing her behind him.

"Midoriya! Don't fight them! The teachers are on their way right now!" Shoto shouted in warning to his rival. _"Because if my father can't beat them…none of us can" _But Izuku hadn't budged from his spot in the middle of the large pathway.

"Your friend is right, kid. Step aside and you won't get hurt" Erza said simply, her right hand slowly pulling her Boltok revolver from the hip holster along her thigh. They were close…only a dozen feet apart at best.

Izuku raised his stance, pushing his quirk into his right arm as red and yellow crackles of power raced up the limb to his body.

"No. I will never abandon anybody in their time of need. I'm going to be a hero…and hero's never run from protecting those in danger! Especially against people that kill without mercy! I will never turn her over to you!"

"YEAH! And anybody that fights Izuku has to fight me!" Uraraka added in as she stood next to her friend…along with Shoto, Iida, Tsuyu, and Mina Ashido to protect their school and lives from these degenerates.

His voice and gaze…dripped with determination as Himiko Toga looked up at him with wide eyes. _"Oh my god! That was soooo heroic! I think I'm in love!"_ She let out a small squeal, her eyes bright. Himiko didn't even care about how dangerous the situation for her was…that was soooo hot. Especially with him standing there protecting her from harm.

"Just stand aside and…" Levy looked at the young boy's eyes, his green hair and hard gaze boring back. "Hey Mira? Doesn't he remind you of Natsu a little bit back when we were kids?" The scientist pointed as her taller friend gave a small nod.

"He does seem familiar…" the taller woman with white hair reasoned as she stroked her chin. The eyebrow scar crinkled, her mind connecting a few similarities.

"Levy? What exactly did this girl do again? Because I don't want to fight a bunch of children. It's…not right" Kagura butted in as her eyes tracked several of the teachers approaching…including that Midnight woman.

"Uhhh…crimes?" Levy shrugged with uncertainty as Erza continued to study the man protecting the blonde with narrowing eyes.

"Wait…you're that kid from when I killed Stain" the red head finally realized. Izuku nodded, his fist crackling with his power and strength.

"I…remember that night" he replied, his body staying firm before this evil. Casting a side long glance, he saw Midnight, Present Mic, and Cementoss closing from the left most building.

"_Just a few more seconds…"_ That sideward glance would cost Izuku.

"WATERMELON REVENGICON!"

Normal face sprung at the boy, his arms and legs spread like a green starfish…with boots and gloves. Midoriya reacted, his fist flying forward…and blowing the creature apart into a horrid spray of watermelon gore and seeds. But the short creature had been a distraction.

"No…" Izuku whispered as Erza sprinted past him in a surge of speed. Bringing up her weapon, she had it aimed at Himiko's head before he realized what happened.

The blonde girl looked upward…and promptly fell on her ass as renewed fear crawled up her spine. Fresh tears flowed, spilling downward. "Please…don't…"

"ERZA SCARLET! DON'T DO IT!" Cementoss yelled, his voice of gravel flowing through the air as he stopped with the other teachers only a few feet away. _"I can't do anything. A single movement…and that girl dies. All the heroes have been appraised of their abilities and weapons since that breakout…I can't risk her life"_

"She's a villain. She needs to die" Scarlet whispered harshly while pressing the barrel of the gun to Himiko's head.

"NO! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO KILL AN INNOCENT GIRL FOR NO REASON! YOU'RE A MONSTER!" Ochaco screamed out, her voice a tremble as the red head looked her way for a brief moment.

"I know I am…" Looking back down at Himiko, Erza's brown eyes looked at the tearful, scared, and traumatized eyes of the teenager….and gulped.

"_She has the same eyes…"_ Scarlet blinked…and found herself in the subterranean tunnels of Operation Hollowstorm. The crags of outcroppings…the smell of fear…rotting copper of human blood…the distant sounds of battle and screams of the dying…everything. She cast her gaze down, her eyes quivering as she saw the broken body of that little, emaciated girl ripe with scars and infection. A cratered hole in her head where Erza had fired…and those dead, unmoving orbs of blue.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry" The knight quietly sobbed as she dropped the gun. Scooping up the little girl, Erza held her close as streams of water strolled down her checks. "You didn't deserve to die! You were an innocent child! You…you…"

Scarlet continued to cry on her knees, holding Himiko Toga in a tight grasp as her heart and mind were reopened of that hideous mental scar. "If only…if only I had fought harder…I could have…" The woman cried some more, her chest and throat constricted as she held Himiko like her own future child.

"Levy…Kagura? I think we went too far with this one…" Mira said softly as she eyed her crying friend still holding the blonde girl like a vice.

"Damn…probably right on that, M.J. It's not like the last year has been easy for any of us. And we all know what she's seeing right now" McGarden voiced as she let out a weary sigh. Watching her friend for a few seconds, the bluenette saw her watermelon starting to reform as the three teachers started to approach to close the gap.

Mira snapped up a sidearm, leveling it at the blonde…radio guy. "Don't you dare attack her. If she's seeing what I think she's seeing, Erza will kill you if you try to attack. The last few universes alone have been…a mental nightmare for all of us, but especially her with _The Marker._ You give her a place to rest, and I will explain everything with Normal Face"

"Your…giving up?" Mina Ashido asked in complete surprise at this woman. _"And what's a marker?"_

"In a way, girl" Turning back to Midnight, Mira nodded. "You have to know how dangerous we can be. Levy and Kagura will stay here with Scarlet, and I'll go with you peacefully"

More wracking sobs echoed across the gathering…and they sounded so…painful. Wretched with old wounds and suffering.

"Cementoss…lead them to the infirmary and call up the police to assist. Take whatever precautions you need" Midnight ordered as that strange melon finally reformed. Shifting her eyes toward the students and then Mira, the older female nodded.

"Follow me, Mira…and if your friends harm any of my students. I will give up my hero license to kill you"

"Heh…I can respect that. Come on you insane watermelon" Strauss waved to the creature as Levy and Kagura slowly pried Erza off of Toga.

"I WILL FOLLOW AT NORMAL SPEED!"

Jogging off after the teacher and…captured villain killer, the students kept a wary eye of the others in the tow of Cementoss and Present Mic who was already on the phone.

Himiko could feel how damp her uniform was as those two women pried off her would be killer. Supporting the red head who had gone suddenly silent, Levy and Kagura followed the cement formed teacher across the manicured lawn toward the onsite clinic.

"How…? Why? Why did she start crying?" The blonde whispered to herself as death receded.

"Are you alright?"

Himiko turned, seeing Izuku…then wrapped him in a big hug with a squeal. Pressing her body toward his, she was all smiles. "You were sooo cool! And brave standing up to them all to protect me! You were like a hero!"

*Squish*

"_AAAAHHH! I CAN FEEL THEM!"_

Turning a bright red, the poor boy became a stuttering mess of nonsensical words as Ochaco's eye lightly twitched from nearby.

"Hey Ochaco? Are you okay? You look a little…" Mina leaned in to whisper with a devilish smirk. "_Jealous"_

"No…no! I'm just…just really happy that everything was resolved peacefully!"

"Then why is your face going red?" Tsuyu pointed out as Shoto scoffed. He had better things to do than listen to these girl's prattle on about if they liked Midoriya or not.

"After a month of killing…it's hard to believe they would just give up" Iida reasoned as he idly watched Izuku struggling to escape the hugging girls grasp.

"Well…that woman did seem to suffer a mental break. But who knows what caused it? I'm just glad they finally gave up without more bloodshed" Tsuyu finished as she turned and started to walk away. Soon joined by Mina and the others, the frog-like girl briefly wondered what they would do with this blonde teenager…

**9:00 p.m. U.A. Highschool Auditorium**

Dozen's of heroes had gathered in the cavernous room along with most of the school staff…with the exception of Cementoss. He was standing guard inside the infirmary with the other three Villain Hunters and Recovery Girl across the campus with All Might.

Standing in a large group, many were easily recognizable such as Endeavor, Mt. Lady, Mirko and Gunhead. But they weren't the only ones as Hawks, Best Jeanist, and Kamui Woods stood with them all…along with some of their faithful sidekicks.

The double doors for the cavernous room opened, gathering the gazes of all as Midnight and Mira strolled through with that strange melon at her side. Their feet echoed, barely heard while some of the professionals resisted the urge to…_attack _this murderer on the spot.

"Were you waiting long?" Midnight inquired as she slowly dropped behind Mira to keep her in sight. She was fully prepared to use her quirk at the first sign of trouble.

"No. But I have to ask why you haven't simply restrained and arrested them all? Especially this…brutish woman" Best Jeanist asked with a drip of venom as he stared at Mira.

"Wellll…the simple fact is I probably could kill most of your right now. But, since Midnight here gave us a chance to explain, I'll do that instead" Mira told the jean wearing man. _"He looks so weird…"_

"And you'll explain what? All that crazy talk about the multiverse your friend Levy was spewing on the news? Get real. We should lock you all up in the deepest prison for the rest of your lives" Hawks waved as the target of his disbelief studied his wings. Growing a low scowl of crinkled eyebrows, Mira slowly clenched her fist…then released it as she took a deep breath.

"Normal Face? You have video archives of everything, right?"

"Correct miss Mira! My creator downloaded all I.V.D. recordings from that first viewing up until Etherion Day. Several dozen universes are included along with my adventures with Krograll and our reunification in the forest that rained glorious blood from the sky!"

"Blood from the sky?" Yu asked with a cocked eyebrow and a voice of disbelief.

"Yeah. A universe where it literally rained blood from the sky so heavily I became a redhead" Mira explained simply while she took a deep breath. "Listen. This will be simple. N.F. here will form a holographic display of everything we've seen and done, along with the enemies my team has faced. Afterwards if you're not puking your guts out and still want to arrest us, we'll go quietly"

"And if we do believe you by some miracle?" Endeavor asked with his eyes narrowed at the female.

"Then you'll stop trying to capture us and just leave us alone until we shift" she paused for a moment as her gaze darkened. "Trust me…the horrors your about to see…you'll never forget" Sending a small nod to the watermelon, Mira stepped back as N.F. came forward to stand in the middle of the room.

"Time for…HOLOGRAPHIC ARCHIVES!"

Yu Takeyama gasped as a strange light washed over her and the other gathered heroes from the yelling melon. Raising a hand to block the attack, she slowly opened her eyes a few seconds later after nothing happened….and gasped.

The auditorium was gone, replaced by a city seemingly devoid of life. Crumbling rubble spilt from half collapsed buildings, their facades hollow as several abandoned cars sat in the main roadway. Taller structures ranging from six floors to at least twenty towered in the distance…but many were heavily damaged. Looking around hastily, Yu found her companions nearby before looking at Mira.

"Hey! Where is this?"

"This…is the city of Jilane. Where our war against the locust started truly started" Mira said softly, the earlier smugness and defiance just gone. Turning, she watched as the holographic displays of Samantha, Glenn, Gil, and Natsu walked down the rubble strewn roadway clad in heavy Gear armor. Approaching the form of her unscarred boyfriend, Mira raised her hand with grasping tenderness. She wanted to caress his cheek…to warn him of the coming nightmare.

"It feels like ages ago…none of us had any idea…Natsu…"

He passed through Mira, a swirling of pixels as the heroes looked oddly at the female who looked…defeated.

"The locust?" Mirko inquired with a quizzical tone.

Mira nodded. "You'll see…you'll see everything my boyfriend has fought…what we've all done and sacrificed…You will see true evil"

Hawks wanted to scoff, to say this insane woman was over-exaggerating…but he never got the chance.

Gunfire erupted in the street as one of the men went down, clutching his throat as blood spilled under the cacophony of screaming gunfire. And the creatures that emerged…they looked like actual monsters. The soldiers fought…killing the creatures without mercy as the mission unfolded.

"This…this is a joke right? Your just messing with us" Midnight asked Mira with a quiver as she watched the pink haired man receive a horrible cut from his eyebrow to the corner of his mouth from a dog sized creature that seemed to be all teeth and claws.

"No…I'm not" Strauss replied with a heavy tone as the heroes and teachers kept watching…and watching.

Hours passed. Hours of carnage and genocidal warfare against subterranean horrors few of these men and women could fathom. The sheer…_butchery_ committed by both sides was almost unbelievable as they watched Natsu, Sam, Glenn, and Erza fight battle after nightmarish battle.

Brumaks…Bloodmounts and Corpsers…Grinders and Theron Guards…they were hideous beyond imagination as they slaughtered the innocent without mercy nor care.

Nemuri actually turned pale as she watched Erza open fire on innocent civilians in the dying city of Montevado. The screaming…the dying and unwashed fear… _"This…this can't get any worse, can it!?"_ Midnight asked herself as a man exploded into a fine paste during the raging battle.

But she was wrong.

A pillar of fire from the sky…it struck the city center and created a firestorm of heat and ash as Erza lay dying in the final King Raven to leave…and Natsu burning her stomach wound shut. The screams of agony from the red-head were awful and…haunting as they watched history unfold during a counter-attack against these…fiends. The brutality of _Operation: Hollowstorm_ was a grisly, blood soaked affair as the soldiers plunged into the earth in a bid to defeat the horde.

"No…don't tell me…" Present Mic whispered in absolute horror as Erza mercy killed a young girl so broken and brutalized there was nothing left. The scars…the rampant infections across her malnourished form…it was one of the worst things the man has seen.

"The Hollow…Erza doesn't like to talk about what happened down there. It's…a deep scar that will never be healed or forgotten" Mira explained briefly as the viewing progressed to the Ilima City sinkhole.

"I…I'm going to be sick!" Yu cried out as the holographic display moved to the interior of the riftworm…and the nauseating gristle…pools of stomach acid and digestion. The nightmarish amount of gore and ichor Echo squad had to deal with was too much to deal with. Running, the blonde woman tried to cover her mouth in the hopes of making it to a nearby bathroom. Yu barely made it as she wretched into an open toilet and lost her stomach contents. It was a small consolation as a few other heroes did the same.

"The psychological damage…most people would go insane" Aizawa murmured as the four soldiers cut their way out of the mile's long beast. A cascade of viscous liquid flowed outward from the worm, spilling the four Gears onto the blood soaked earth. The man looked down, highly distressed as the gore washed around his feet. He knew it wasn't really there…but he couldn't help noticing as several of the heroes grew ashen and stepped back to avoid the crimson liquid.

And so, it went on…and on…and on. Hours of carnage…suffering and destruction…death and orbital fire. It was almost never-ending as King and Queen Dragneel implemented the '_Earthland Fortification Act'_ With Levy writing the computer algorithms as the world of one thirty seven-C burned under the locust invasion.

"No…" Midnight gasped as city after city…country after country was scorched to ash by the orbital weapon fire of the Etherion Cannon and surrounding H.O.D's. It was genocide on a global scale in a bid to stop the horde.

She wanted to cry…just…cry as the images of Mira's burning homeworld faded. Clutching her head, Nemuri sank to her knees and grasped her skull at the sheer amount of…_suffering _she had just witnessed. Little did she know…she was actually crying as Mira crouched down in a squat before her.

Looking up, Midnight's eyes were puffy from tears.

"That is our world…that is the enemy we face. We are currently stranded in the multiverse, going from world to world at random…and there is nothing we can do to get home and help our friends beat the fucking horde" Standing up, Mira cast a gaze around the room. "We'll stop hunting villains…but now you know why we don't even see you heroes as a threat. Most of you couldn't even stop our normal, magicless soldiers let alone someone on the level of myself or my boyfriend"

Starting to walk away with the watermelon closely following in a goosestep, Mirko reached out with a shaking hand. She was a woman that enjoyed a good fight…to prove her strength. But that…that had been a certifiable nightmare. And Mira along with her friends had fought those beasts…lost an eye and treasured family…saw her whole world burn.

"Please…that was all a lie right!? A…a sick joke to get out of your crimes?"

Mira looked back, her eyes almost devoid of emotion.

"No. It all happened…just be thankful I didn't show you recordings of cannibalism or universe eight eight seven-X where all women were sex slaves" Letting out a small scoff, the mage turned away. "I'm going to see my friend…Do what you want"

Less than a minute later, the auditorium doors opened and closed, leaving the gathered heroes and teachers in a state of shock for several silent minutes.

"Such…brutish, horrible creatures. No wonder they simply attack anybody they deem as 'evil' All they've done is fight and wage war for years" Best Jeanist explained with distress emerging from his muffled voice.

"Especially that Erza woman…how is she even functioning after all of that?" Midnight added with a rasp of dread. _"Lakes of blood inside giant worms, countless battles against the locust…her home world burnt to a crisp….it's…madness!"_

"It's obvious these four have been…severely traumatized by these dreadful monsters. While I don't condone their actions, I can understand why they would hunt the villains of our world to protect the innocent" Principal Nezu reasoned as the short, white bear-like man unleashed a heavy sigh.

"They see anybody that harms the innocent as a monster…just like those locust. To them, there probably isn't a difference at all" Endeavor supported with a tired tone. _"Honestly…even if I could beat them…how could I reason stopping women that fought against such nightmarish evil? Each of them has probably saved more lives than all of us heroes here combined"_

"So, what should we do? We can't let these women back on the street in their state of mind to resume hunting villains, especially Erza" Aizawa asked with a fit of exhaustion. Frankly, that whole ordeal had taken hours that cut into his sleep. Not that he would be able to rest after watching all of that. Frankly he wondered if he should even work tomorrow. _"Madness…genocidal madness. Would I be like them if I had to fight those monsters?"_ Aizawa shuddered at the thought.

"I have an idea that will hopefully be acceptable to both parties…" Nezu admitted with a small gleam in his eye. It wasn't perfect…but he was no fool. If anybody other than All Might…who is getting weaker by the day, tried to fight them, they would lose. He sincerely doubted very few could stand against this group of females and their magic which nobody had a counter for. Starting to explain to the distressed men and women around him, the bear-like man tried to push the horrors he had seen from his mind…

**U.A. High School Clinic 9:13 a.m. May 2****nd**

_Erza saw red…war…screaming…and the carnage of her memories. A sudden gunshot bore through her mind from a locust sniper, blowing her brains across a ruined cityscape_. _She fell…her body crumpling next to Natsu, his body ripped in half as the grubs advanced to continue the slaughter…_

She awoke with a gasp of startled fear and dread, sweat beading down her face as her chest heaved. Eyes darting around in maddened horror, Scarlet felt a reassuring hand clasping her shoulder.

"Easy…easy. It's alright" Levy reassured from her left side. The morning breeze ruffled her blue locks, causing them to shift as the shorter woman smiled in strained reassurance. Out of her normal armor, Levy's eyes were concerned for her fellow sister and friend.

Looking around the room with her brown orbs, she discerned it was a clinic based on the bed styles and equipment. Mira and Kagura were sleeping on some other ones, their soft snores mixing in with the chirping of birds outside. The watermelon was near the door, wearing a nurse's cap for some reason as he stood guard and watched over the women.

Erza sat up further on the bed as she turned back to her friend. "I…I think so? What exactly happ—" The events rushed back, filtering through her mind's eye as the red-head gasped. Hands shaking, she tried to grip her head.

Levy was at her side in a moment, her smaller hand grasping Erza's in support. "You had a mental break. I should know, I've had one myself"

"That…that girl. We…" Scarlet started to say.

"She's fine. Will admit we might've gone a bit overboard with that one" Levy sheepishly replied while rubbing the back of her neck.

Erza nodded, glad she hadn't done something irreversible.

The infirmary door opened, stirring Mira and Kagura from their sleep as several heroes filed into the room. Normal Face scurried, his short form jumping onto a table as he made the stop signal with an extended palm.

"HALT! I WILL NOT LET YOU RAPE ANY OF THESE WOMEN! THEY ARE ALL NATSU'S FEMALES!"

"WE WOULD NEVER DREAM OF COMMITING SUCH HEINOUS CRIMES LITTLE MELON! HAHAHA!" All Might bellowed in a booming voice with Endeavour, Midnight, and Principle Nezu eyed the strange creature accusing them of false rape.

"_Where did it get that nurses hat?"_

"N.F….It's too early in the morning to explain to you that I'm not dating Natsu" Kagura sighed in annoyance as she yawned. Swinging her legs off the bed, the woman stood tall with a stretch.

"But Miss Levy said it was only a matter of time…" Taking a pondering pose, he ignored the heroes as they walked past his table to the gathered soldiers.

"Levy is an idiot"

"You know I can hear and see you…future harem sister" Grinning wide, the shorter woman chuckled as her friend gave her the finger.

Nezu studied the four, taking time to truly take in their features. They were out of their armor, having set it in the corner before sleeping…which meant they were showing a bit of trust. _"Or they just don't see us as dangerous which is highly possible"_

Taking another step forward, the small bear/rat man hybrid watched as Erza stood. Leaning against the wall, her long scarlet haired flowed as she gazed outside with a morose stare.

"How are you feeling, miss?"

"…Better. I…uh…" she started to say.

"Please. You don't need to explain. I saw the archive footage of your war. You four are younger than most professional heroes and have faced such overwhelming hardships. Frankly, I find it astounding you haven't suffered further mental deterioration"

"Thanks. But, it's not like all that happened at once. Every awful thing…all the decisions we've made? They were like drops in a bucket. Just…accumulating over the years as our lives became surrounded by darkness"

"That little girl…that's what trigg—" Midnight started to ask, but paused as Erza looked her way with painfully old eyes. The eyes of somebody that has seen far too much horror.

Her voice was dark, laced with warning. "Don't bring that up again. Ever"

Gulping, Nemuri gave a small nod.

"So, what do you all want anyway? Here to drag us off to prison?" Mira asked shortly, her arms folded beneath her ample bust as she stood five feet from Nezu and studied him with a critical gaze.

"Actually, we came to give you an offer" Endeavour scowled lightly from the left as his fire brows rippled. He never dreamed of negotiating with criminals, but these were extenuating circumstances.

"Really now…" M.J. asked in caution, her eyes not entirely trusting.

"That's right! Because of your multiverse situation, you will be allowed to stay here on campus under our watchful gaze!" All Might grinned, his white teeth shining while he struck a pose…which Normal Face immediately copied.

"What if we don't want to stay?" Kagura inquired.

Nezu coughed, his animal-like eyes taking turns on each woman. "I'm afraid that isn't a choice. Either you stay here under the watchful eye of our faculty which comprises of several professional heroes…or you become the most hunted group in all of Japan. Every hero…every police officer will be hunting you down until your captured or…'_shift' _if I'm getting that right"

"Hmmmm...It's not a bad idea…" the gravity mage reasoned as she studied her friends for reactions.

"Of course, it goes without saying that your villain hunting days are over" Midnight finished.

Erza shrugged, pushing herself away from the window. "That's fine. We were running out of evil villains to kill anyway. I'm sure you can handle bank robbers"

"Excellent! I'll arrange some dorms for you all" Nezu clapped suddenly as his gaze wandered to the stacked guns and armor in the corner near where Levy had slept. "Please leave your weapons in your rooms. This is a school with students and I'm putting my trust in you to conduct yourselves appropriately" Turning away, the short principal walked toward the door. Halting, he looked at the group with sadness in his eyes. "I am truly sorry for what happened to your world…to you all. But if you endanger anybody here, I will consider our agreement null and void. Nemuri? Please show them to their rooms"

"Sure"

"Thank you. Now I must discuss the issue of Himiko Togo with the police"

The short animal man in a suit left with All Might, leaving Nemuri and Enji Todoroki with the four women and the watermelon who just…kept posing randomly in the nurse's hat.

"Yes…A proper pose for murdering is excellent…"

Enji ignored the creature, the flames around his body glowing a bit brighter. Watching as Erza…scanned the pile of weapons that digitized into a wrist mounted device, the hero couldn't believe he was about to ask this. "Would any of you be willing to tell me about that man who could use fire? Natsu displayed some incredible abilities during that…_viewing session_ last night"

"YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT NATSU!? WOOO!" Mira cheered as she jumped for joy…then promptly pointed at Midnight. "You better not fall in love with him! Erza's dirty pervert mother will be the Milf for our sisterhood!"

"Hey! My mom is not a pervert!"

"I haven't even met him!"

"_She didn't deny about her mother joining…"_ Kagura deadpanned as Mira started to explain the depths of Natsu's power to the fire hero…

**May 4****th**** 8:15 a.m. Classroom A-1**

School had been crazy the last two days. The halls had been rife with rumors and stories about the villain hunters and Himiko, many of them pointed toward Izuku and his friends that had faced them together. There was even a rumor of a love triangle forming between Izuku, Himiko, and Ochaco…luckily Midoriya didn't know about it. Then there was the fact students all knew that they had been in the infirmary under guard that day and following morning…then promptly moved to the female floor of the student dorms.

"Everything's been crazy. We had another incident with villains, and one of them had a mental break…does this mean I'll have a mental break?" Midoriya asked himself as he ventured off in a mumbling session of thoughts and words at his desk.

"Uh oh…he's drifting off again" Mina smirked before glancing at Ochaco. "Hey, you could get him out of it if you hug him like that Himiko girl did"

"I'm not doing that!"

Of course, their voices were soon drowned out by the resident hot head from the front of the classroom.

"Tch! Stupid Deku! If I had been there those four wouldn't have stood a chance! Useless idiot!" Bakugo sneered with annoyance. By the time he had heard of the breech, it had already been resolved…and Midoriya was the talk of the school for standing up to that dangerous red head.

"But dude. Didn't just two of them defeat Shoto's dad on the news? Along with a few others?" Kirishima pointed out from his seat next to the explosive user.

"Grrr…SO WHAT!? I could've taken them all!"

The classroom door opened, revealing Nemuri Kayama standing there in her hero suit. She looked a little tired, eyes drooping from the raging nightmares she's been having.

"Bakugo? Can you please calm down? I could hear you shouting through the door and down the hall" She commanded with a hint of exhaustion in her voice. Moving behind the desk, she remained standing as the explosive boy grumbled, but relented as he leaned back in his seat.

"Miss Kayama? Can you tell us what's going on with those four villains? I've been hearing rumors they're living in some dorms now on the top floor of the residential building" Kyoka Jiro asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Yeah. And what about all that multiverse stuff Levy spewed about on that broadcast? They were just all crazy killers, right?" Momo Yaoyorozu inquired with a raised hand, her black bangs almost covering her right eye.

"Ah…yes, you would all be curious about what happened after Erza had her mental breakdown"

"Can we come in now? Waiting in the hall is insanely boring! And I should know, I'm partially insane" Levy asked as she stepped in with her watermelon. Smiling lightly with her now familiar scar, the mage gave a wide wave as her C-cup breasts hugged her favorite shirt.

The students almost jumped out of their seats at the sight of the villain…then gulped even more as Erza, Mira, and Kagura walked in. Clothed in their civilian attire, there was one thing that stood out to all the teenagers.

"Oh my god…THEY HAVE GREAT BOOBS!" Mineta cheered, his short stature jumping from his desk in joy. "You couldn't see them before because of the armor and killing…but wow! So firm and round!"

"MINETA! Be respectful toward women!" Toru Hagakure scolded, her invisible fist punching the pervert on top of his head.

He fell back into his seat, rubbing the large grapes on his head as Levy laughed.

"Oh, don't punish the obvious pervert. They are pretty nice…" hefting them up, the woman grinned while giving them a small squeeze and showing off a bit of cleavage.

"_THANK YOU, GOD!" _Mineta grinned like a dirty old man as he watched the small display.

"Levy…can you stop that? We get enough crap from rapists in other universes. We don't need you corrupting that young man any further" Erza lightly scolded with a blank stare.

"Ungh…fine"

"WHY ARE YOU VILLAIN'S HERE! I'LL KICK YOUR ASSES!" Bakugo roared as he stood up, preparing to use his explosive sweat.

"BAKUGO! SIT DOWN! YOU HAVE NO CONCEPT OF HOW OUTCLASSED YOU ARE!" Midnight shouted, her voice cracking as her mind's eye was filled with blood and nightmarish horrors. She really hoped they would disappear soon.

"BUT THEY'RE VILLAINS! YOUR SUPPOSED TO BE BEATING THEM!"

"Katsuki! I will not ask again! Unless you want a three day suspension for disturbing my classroom?" the teacher threatened hotly. The male sneered…but finally sat down after a few seconds. Breathing a sigh of relief, Nemuri waved a hand. "Go on you four. You wanted to meet the students while you're here for another month. Just keep the cursing to a minimum…Kagura"

"You're thinking of Levy. I am a proper woman" the gravity mage quipped in a tone of annoyance. But she was quickly distracted as Levy started to walk down the middle aisle of the classroom…directly toward Mina.

The pink haired acid user leaned back, this short, scarred woman cocking an eyebrow at her in silent study.

"Ummm…"

"I like your hair. Reminds me of my friend Natsumi back home"

"Really? Thanks! But who's Natsumi?"

"YUP! S-class mage and literally a fire princess! Not only that, but she's the main rival of Juvia and Queen Hisui!"

"S-class mage? What are you talking about?" Shoto asked from across the room, directing his attention to the blue haired female.

"Oh yeah…your world has all this quirk crap. You wouldn't know a thing about magic" Walking back to the front, the woman planted her hands on her hips. "All you kids are lucky! Your about to get a rundown on magic from Earthland!"

Bakugo scoffed with derision. "So, you're basically saying your all quirkless? Don't make me laugh. Anybody without a quirk is basically useless and gets in the way"

Of course, the fact these four were so strong and _quirkless_ instantly grabbed Midoriya's attention.

"Better than being a loudmouthed racist piece of shit" Mira shrugged with her palms spread.

"What did you say…quirkless" The boy sneered as Mira leaned down over his desk. Opening her palm, a roiling ball of purple energy crackled with bursts of yellow electricity as her gaze hardened. Those nearby…could instantly feel the unyielding _power_ behind that small orb.

"I'm saying that a platoon of soldiers from my world with no magic could easily handle a group of your heroes" Standing up, the white haired mage dispelled the orb as her eyes traveled the room. "Your world's population is almost eighty percent quirk, with many of you manifesting these abilities as children. Nothing wrong with that, but I bet many of you look down or pity those without them. Probably think they need those with quirks to protect them…to keep them safe"

"Is it…like that on your world?" Izuku asked with a raised hand.

"Not really. Yes, our planet's Ethernano is far stronger than many parallel Earthlands, but that really doesn't mean much to the general populace" Mira paused, her gaze studying the boy. "Most humans don't have magic. Or if they do, it's quite minimal with barely enough strength to turn on a light switch"

"So where do you come in as mages? Ribbit" Tsuyu inquired from her seat with a raised hand.

"_That girl is seriously cute!"_ Mira thought before shaking her head to dispel the random thoughts. "Simply put, mages are humans that developed magical containers in their body. And no, it's not an actual container" she rapidly said before continuing her explanation. "These containers determine how strong a person's magic is and their overall rank. B-class are generally children and low level mages. A-class are generally adults with significant power and skill. Then there are S-class mages such as myself. We are considered the strongest and depending on the magic type, could destroy a small to medium sized city with one magical blast"

"Some…some of you could destroy an actual city!?" Kyoka asked with a tremble in her voice. _"I don't think even All Might could do that!"_

"Yeah. I mean I could probably wipe out a small city of…twenty to thirty thousand? But it would use every drop of magic in my body and I would have to be at full power" Mira admitted as she rested her pointer finger on her bottom lip…which looked very cute. "Obviously, that kind of decision would mean things would be catastrophically bad"

"Have you…actually done that?" Midoriya asked once more. _"A whole world off quirkless people…how amazing…"_

The woman sighed, her gaze getting heavy. "I have. Along with Levy and Red here in a few different realities. But before you judge, the situations have to be extraordinarily desperate. We also try to evacuate as many innocents as possible" The woman paused. "I helped with a few evacuations along the west coast of Fiore in the months leading up to us being stranded in the multiverse"

"Why were you evacuating? And what could stand against you if you have so much power?"

"Our world is at war with a horrible race of subterranean reptiles. They have no sense of mercy or compassion. If some were to emerge into this classroom, they would not hesitate to kill some of you for simply being human. And with them carrying the same weapons as we do, they are quite capable of killing any of us" Erza told the students before she raised her palm. "I am quite positive many of you saw Levy and Mira killing those two evil-doers on that roof. Well…the locust are far worse than any of you could imagine. You may call us villains if you wish, but they are far more brutal and evil than you teenagers can fathom"

"What do they look like?" Momo asked simply.

"Uhhh…" Erza looked back at the teacher. "Would it be okay to show a simple image? Just to give them a frame of reference?"

"One image. I will not subject them to what I saw that night in the auditorium" Midnight ordered as her vision temporarily clouded, gaining a small nod from Erza.

"If we're showing what a grub looks like, then we gotta show off Natsu and our friends!" Levy jumped upward, making those wonderful breasts bounce much to Mineta's joy…and many of the other hot-blooded males. Turning to Bakugo, the woman pointed with a cheshire grin. "And just so you know explody pants, you could never beat our boyfriend! He can literally eat fire!" Halting her tirade, Levy hugged herself. "Ahh…just thinking about what he can do…NORMAL FACE! Display a standard locust foot soldier then my sexy man!"

Jumping in a backflip, the watermelon stood on midnight's desk as his eyes glowed. A swirling of lights emerged from his gaze, forming at the front of the classroom.

"Holographic display….ACTIVATED!"

In mere moments, a still image of a creature formed that made a few of the girl's twitch in revulsion. It stood about six feet tall, the gray skin marred with several scars. Wearing heavy boots, it matched the dark colored greaves and leg armor. Around the waist was a belt of pouches, most likely to hold supplies while a large chest piece protected the main torso. A glowing, yellow cross decorated the middle of the armor as it connected to heavy shoulder pads, its design reminiscent of a football player's padding.

Gnarled hands with fingers ending in short claws held a Lancer mk. II, the left paw looped through the gap of the chainsaw bayonet. But for the students…it was the face that really disturbed them. The inhuman monster was completely hairless, not even sporting eyebrows as its narrow, yellow eyes seemed to gaze out at the teenagers. The mouth was slightly open, revealing rows of pointed teeth that were obviously meant for tearing meat.

"That's…a locust?" Hagakure asked with a shaky voice. Luckily, with her invisibility, nobody could see her stunned eyes. _"Why am I so scared? It's just a projection…"_

"A standard foot soldier, yes. There are larger ones though that are far more dangerous" Erza explained as the watermelon dispelled the monster from view.

"There are bigger ones?" Izuku asked with a small tremble.

"Yes. Reavers, Beserkers, Seeders and Kantus….Brumaks… They are all commanded by the locust queen, Myrrah. I am only one of eight humans to ever see that genocidal bitch in person and live to escape the Locust Nexus…" The woman trailed off, her gaze going to a far off place for several seconds…something that greatly unsettled the students, especially the mention of genocide. Settling on Izuku with a questioning gaze a minute later, Erza finally came back in her mind's eye. "I'm sorry, what's your name again?"

"Izuku Midoriya. I've kind of met you twice…"

"Midoriya…why does your name sound so familiar?" Scarlet pondered to herself as the older women seemed to all think about it for a few moments.

"Wait…HE'S THAT GUY!" Levy shouted with a pointed finger. "Remember those stupid, nudist, eleven thousand year old bodyguards!? They talked about Izuku Midoriya!"

"Hey…your right!" Kagura agreed as the students gained confused looks.

"Nudists?" Kirishima asked a nearby student who simply shrugged. Kagura overheard and lightly explained.

"They were…technically clothed. Not to dismiss their combat abilities, they really were idiots"

"Oh yeah! He's supposed to be like Natsu!" Mira grinned before she strutted over, swaying her hips. Leaning forward, the poor man started to blush at how close she was. "So…you think your ready to get a harem of girls just like our man?"

"W…WHAT!?"

"I WANT A HAREM!" Mineta shouted from his seat, but was completely ignored as Izuku blushed brighter than any form of tomato. The poor boy…all he could do was stutter and stutter.

"Are you sure you have that right?" Mina asked with doubt, the conversation thankfully steering toward brighter topics. She really didn't want to see a monster like that again. _"I mean…he is kinda cute in an innocent way, but I don't see him as some womanizer in a million years like Mineta"_

"Of course! From what we know, he has similar qualities to our own man! Bravery, Intelligence, strength, a big heart filled with the desire to protect those around him! Hell, I bet by the time he turns eighteen, he'll have to beat interested women away with a stick!" Mira grinned.

"Pfft. If Deku is like this Natsu guy, I bet he's just a dumb ass weakling" Bakugo stated, once again putting his foot in his mouth as Midnight slapped her palm against her face. The fact she knew the extent of Dragneel's actions meant there was a strong possibility one of these women would lose their cool.

"You're lucky you're a minor, otherwise I would break your legs with Strawberry. Insulting the man that saved my life and returning my love is a very serious mistake" Scarlet seethed before giving a nod to N.F. "Bring up an image of him. Make this stupid, racist kid choke on his words"

The short melon nodded, it's gaze even while the eyes glowed yellow again before an image of Natsu formed.

Most of the girls gasped, not expecting this…warrior to be so handsome.

Wearing black pants, this male was barefoot as he stood in a classic horse riding stance. Holding his right hand out palm up, an orb of roiling fire crackled with unknown strength and power as it churned with hissing pops of heat. The flame reflected off his tanned skin, showing the years of battle scars across his heavy muscles. A long one went from his left shoulder to his right hip, deep and old that crossed the six pack of hardened flesh with several more decorating his torso. Pectorals hard and firm, they gave way to his toned shoulders and up to his face.

A long scar ran vertically down his features, traveling from his left eyebrow to the corner of his mouth. Then there were the eyes…Piercing eyes with black irises that withheld years of war and strife.

Unconsciously, the students all shifted in their seats, almost _feeling_ this unknown man's strength.

It was Kirishima that broke the awkward silence. "That dude looks hella manly with all those scars"

"Grrr…I'll admit his control of fire looks…impressive" Bakugo grudgingly admitted with a scowl. Didn't mean that he couldn't beat this Natsu guy, though. His quirk was damn strong for his age.

"_Are these crazy women saying that Midoriya will be this hot one day?"_ Many of the girls thought while giving sidelong glances to the now recovering teen.

"I know random student named Kirishima! Ah…those scars are just soooo sexy. I remember the first time we fuc-"

"OKAY! Well! Thank you ladies for meeting my students, but class is ending soon and they are still minors with…certain subjects" Midnight interrupted with a shout, slamming her palms against the desk. _"I don't need them telling sixteen-year old's their sexual escapades! Will admit he is pleasant to look at though…"_

"That's fine. I heard there was an engineering slash invention lab on campus. I'm gonna go find that right now! Let's go Normal Face!"

"YES, MISS LEVY! FRONT FLIP!"

And the watermelon hopped off the desk like normal, not even attempting the acrobatic feat.

"I guess we have taken up your time…" Erza admitted.

"Did Levy just say engineering _slash_ invention lab?"

"But if any of you students want to ask us more questions of our lives or other issues, we are on the top floor of the dorms. And we promise no more threats or hunting down villains will occur during our stay" Kagura input as the three headed toward the door. Giving one final wave, the trio left to leave the classroom in silence.

"You know…they didn't really explain much about the multiverse…" Momo questioned a minute later.

"I noticed that too. Maybe we should ask them more questions after classes end for the day?" Mina suggested to her friends who thought it might be interesting.

"So long as they don't bring up anything embarrassing again…" Izuku blushed, his cheeks heating. Luckily for him, the bell rang signifying lunch as the students started to rise.

"Enjoy your lunch. And this was a one time thing! I will be giving assignments tomorrow!" Midnight waved cheekily as her gaze wandered to the spot where the hologram of Natsu stood. "_No wonder that man gathered a harem without trying. His actions during that war are almost fictional…but real. Those girls are lucky in a way…"_

The thought diminished, giving the beautiful hero a chance to catch up on some paperwork as the coming day bore on…

**An hour later with Levy and Normal Face**

The multiverse inventor stood in front of the engineering department, a large grin on her face while her short companion stood solemnly. Mira had joined her, the taller mage and soldier not trusting Levy to completely behave herself as the shorter human chuckled softly. Erza, and Kagura had wandered off, presumably to eat or introduce themselves to the other classes in the school.

"_I just hope Erza takes it easy. Everything that happened was nothing to laugh about. I'm still surprised by the offer of Nezu though. I really thought they would continue to try and arrest us for those mercy killings of those monsters?"_ her face scrunched up. She still didn't get why they were so upset about the murders of evildoers…but at least everything settled.

"Oh man! I wonder what kind of cool shit they got in here!?" Levy said in a loud outburst that interrupted any of Mira's further thoughts. Raising a boot, the female kicked the double doors open in a surprising display before walking in.

Her smile grew wider from the piles of unfinished projects piled in the corner or on overflowing workbenches. Tools of all types lined the wall, mixing in with the distinct smell of grease, machine lubricants, and burning soldering. The crackling and sparking blue welding arc came from the middle of the room, drawing the visitors gaze to a female working on some project. Pausing, she shut of the welding tool before turning and lifting the protective arc mask.

The woman was around sixteen, sporting salmon pink locks currently formed into dreadlocks that were partially hidden by the protective gear. Her face was attractive with yellow irises set among the white of her eyes which seemed to sparkle with intelligence. Traveling down further, her chest was quite developed for her age, sizing right along Levy's in terms of ampleness. Covered by a blue jumpsuit that had long, white stripes running down the legs, the outfit was completed by several red pouches that held visible tools.

Her face grew into a large grin of warmth and eagerness. "Hiya! I'm Mei Hatsume! Do you need upgrades on your equip…ment?" Mei's eyes sparkled, and the sixteen year old rushed over grabbed Levy's arm with the dimensional timer. "Now what's this? This…this isn't some normal clock…no. That wouldn't make sense because it's counting down" She grabbed Levy's shoulders, Mei's face getting within inches. "IS IT A BOMB!? BECAUSE, I COULD BUILD A NEW ONE!"

"Actually, it's my _dimensional timer_. It lets me track which universe I'm in and how much time I have left. I built it in a universe crawling with the living dead from old computer parts" Levy spoke with pride.

"Wait… Your that group of murderers right? Levy and Mira? The one's that highjacked the whole news network and claim to be from the multiverse?"

"That's us" Mira shrugged, but Mei dismissed her as she leaned in closer to Levy, easily piercing the bubble of closeness.

"That…IS SOOOO COOL! I mean…not the killing part, but what other stuff have you built!?"

Levy leaned forward, her eyes giving off a similar sparkle. "I once injected myself with alien nanobots so I could understand all written and spoken language….and invented multiverse travel for my world"

"NO WAY!" Mei shouted before taking a deep breath. "Tell me! What are the three laws of thermodynamics!?"

"You mean the four laws of thermodynamics? There's one out in space that helped me blow up a continent" Levy casually stated while inspecting her fingernails.

"YOU NEED TO TELL ME ALL ABOUT ALL THIS STUFF! Especially how you breach the multiverse! Hey! check out my new rocket pack!" Grabbing Levy's wrist, the younger female pulled the scientist to her workbench as Mira sweated in uncontrolled dread.

"_OH SHIT! OH SHIT! THEY'RE EXACTLY THE SAME! Levy found her strange dopple-ganger!"_ She had to warn the others about this. Turning, she quickly left the engineering department in a heavy sprint. No way in hell would she be around whatever insane inventions they came up with, the last few days were already crazy enough.

"Daaaamn! That is some nice soldering! Reinforced aluminum alloy?"

"Obviously. It's just one of my side projects. Unfortunately, the other students here think I'll accidentally maim them with my failed designs! But you know what Benjamin Franklin once said?"

"What's that?"

"Science is the art of failure! I—"

Mei finally registered the fact that Normal Face was standing next to Levy, his eyes blinking slowly.

"Levy…what's that?"

"Oh! That's Normal Face! He's a bio-engineered life form I created in my lab on a nuclear fallout version of earth! Not only does he protect myself and my friends, but he can regenerate even if you blow him apart. He also grows with each battle in terms of skills and abilities"

"That is correct!"

The blue haired genius leaned forward to Mei with an impish smirk. "I was super drunk at the time. Have no idea how I managed to stabilize his bio-genetic watermelon matrix"

Mei unleashed a girlish squeal of delight as she pointed toward a nearby fuel tank in the corner. "Do you know how to properly mix nitro fuel!?"

"Of course I do!" Levy cheered with a fist bump as Mei grinned. The teenager had no idea why she felt…so in tune with McGarden. Was it their similar height? Body build and love of building and engineering? Whatever it was, they were on the same page.

"Want to use your watermelon to test out my rocket pack? Then after, we can exchange ideas on possible upgrades for my hero friends! Especially Izuku! He's always breaking his limbs!" Mei clenched her fist with waves of determination. "I'll make sure he'll never break something again"

"Sounds fun! And I'll fill you in on multiverse quantum theory!" Pulling down her working goggles, Levy couldn't remember the last time she felt this happy…aside from killing useless dark mages or other monsters.

"Alright Mei…LET'S DO SOME SCIEEENCE!"

The two females laughed slightly off-hinged as Normal Face watched with a blank stare near a pile of discarded machinery…

**Two hours later…The Equipment Testing Range**

The watermelon stood still as Mei and Levy fitted the rocket pack to his back. Pulling straps and tightening belts, his small body moved slightly as his creator gave one final tug in the middle of the dirt circle. Scanning his surroundings, the melon studied numerous craters and half destroyed equipment littering the field. A large, reinforced wall of concrete and steel rose in the distance and along both sides, presumably to prevent damage to other parts of the academy. Scorch marks and visible damage marred their surfaces, but the creature paid it no mind.

"Alright! That should do it" Levy said as she moved toward Mei who was already standing inside an observation bunker of reinforced concrete.

"This will be so cool. This test will finally prove that I can build a reliable rocket pack for heroes!" The salmon haired girl burst with unwavering conviction.

"It'll work great! The two of us definitely know what we're doing" McGarden supported as her short companion shifted his stance. Grasping the steering handles while the stabilizing wings flowed down the back of the invention, the green creature frowned in concentration.

"On the count of three, N.F!"

"Of course, creator!"

"One"

"Two"

"THREE!" Both females cheered as Normal Face hit the ignition button on the right hand control stick. A plume of billowing ash and smoke erupted from the fuel nozzles, pushing the artificial life form off the ground like a rocket. He smiled, joy filling his emotions at the sensation of flight away from the earth.

"WEEEEEE! Miss Levy! I am flyi—"

The rocket pack and murderous melon exploded into a fireball of twisted metal and bits of red and green fruit chunks. Showering down onto the field, the two women watched in stunned disbelief in the bunker. Pieces hit the concrete roof, but didn't cause any damage as his remains splattered.

"Huh…I thought he would get farther…" Levy pondered with a stroke of her chin.

"Darn! I thought it would really work this time!" Mei scowled while crossing her arms below her ample chest.

"…Who cares! It was still fun! Now come on, I'll start teaching you some basics of multiverse travel and how to build a medicine gun!" Levy supported with her face split in a grin. Slapping the younger girl on the back of her jumpsuit, Mei perked up.

"Yeah…yeah! Maybe we should get some food too! Watching that failure got my blood pumping to build some more!"

"Fuck yeah! I'm getting two…no…Three chesseburgers! And I'm gonna tell you the benefits of being the lead girlfriend in a harem with Midoriya!"

"Hmmm…why does that sound interesting?"

Leaving the bunker, both highly intelligent women left the remains of the melon across the testing grounds as they headed to eat and discuss more brainstorming ideas…

**8:23 p.m. Erza's Dorm Room**

The solider sat cross-legged on the floor as a pleasant night breeze wafted through the open window over her bed. While the dorm was pretty sparse with a desk, closet and adjoining bathroom, it was clean and not located in the urban decay of their last two bases.

Erza had set up a gun rack and armor stand in the corner, complying with the deal presented by Principal Nezu. So long as she and the other kept the equipment in their dorms, there would be no problem. And while she knew there were more criminals and villains out there…Erza was kind of relieved. For the next month, she didn't have to kill…to fight and survive in some insane situation against evil men or space monsters.

She just hoped that Levy and her new, younger engineering friend would be able to think of a solution to get home. McGarden might be crazy sometimes, but she actually has the resources at the moment solve their shifting problem.

Or at least try. Perhaps she would go check on her blue haired friend later since it's been hours since Erza saw her last.

"_Or maybe I should find some adult romance novels? I certainly have the free time right now and they do have an extensive library here. A nice day to just…enjoy a story about love and heroes"_

Storing the idea for later, she leaned over the disassembled lancer on the floor. Having switched her outfit to a red sports bra that was more than enough to support her bosom, it was a stark contrast to the black, sleeping shorts she wore. While not revealing in any way, the knight knew that if Natsu was here she would've lost them in the first thirty seconds.

Sighing, she could feel the embers of depression as the woman started to clean the parts with practiced ease. _"I know our relationship is…strange to most, but most people are fools anyway. Why, I could easily explain the whole dynamic of the sisterhood to…I dunno, Laxus of universe twenty-one A and shut his stupid mouth with relationship logic. It's so easy to create a balanced harem that the sisterhood could easily encompass my mother, Brandish and five or six other women!"_ Scowling, her mind went darker. _"Stupid parallel Laxus…I'll show him with my 'Sisterhood Relationship Graph' and quell all their naysaying!" _Her brow crinkled. _"That isn't crazy, is it? I'm not turning into Levy about weird nonsensical issues right now, am I?"_

Of course not. Erza was perfectly normal as she smiled toward Strawberry laying horizontally across the gun rack.

"Hmmm…maybe if I did explain how it all works, that will get my double to confess her secret love for Natsu…but first, we have to randomly shift there in the future at some undetermined time…I really hope McGarden doesn't get insanely drunk again…" Fitting the chainsaw bayonet back into place, the twenty four year old woman was surprised by a knock on the door.

"Come in" Erza replied as she looked up with her lancer finally re-assembled.

The barrier swung open, which showed Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, Mina Ashido, and Uraraka. Momo stepped in, a little warily as she watched the red head stand up and place that deadly looking rifle on a nearby weapon rack with some other guns…and a very brutal baseball bat. She saw several scars, especially a large one located on her left abdomen…and equally on the exposed skin of her back. Another was partially hidden under the sports bra strap near her right shoulder…a heavy mass of marred tissue that looked years old. A strange, blue tattoo was located on the upper right, bicep that hadn't been visible earlier that day.

"So Midoriya? What can I help you and your little girlfriends with?" Scarlet inquired before sitting down on her bed.

The poor boy…he went red again along with Uraraka. Luckily, Momo waved off the little teasing jab.

"We were wondering if you could tell us more about your world and the multiverse? Everything was cut short in class earlier"

"And maybe…some stuff about the quirkless?" Izuku asked mildly, his face still holding a small blush.

Erza shrugged. "I suppose that's alright" She waited patiently as the students sat on the carpeted floor. Sadly, there were no extra chairs except at her desk for the time being. Furrowing her brow, the soldier knew she couldn't relay every horrible detail…nor did she want to, but she had to start somewhere.

"First of all, we don't call normal people quirkless, they're just…people. For hundreds of years on my world, light mages and non-mages have worked together. In education, the military and commerce…pretty much anything. While it's not perfect, mages are held accountable if we go overboard with taking out magical monsters or say bandits. Generally, the light guild would have to formally apologize and pay for the damages. Despite all that, it's very common for mages and non-magic users to form friendships, have joint businesses, or even marry"

"That's…so cool" Midoriya whispered with a smile. _"Imagine…a whole world where such a thing was possible"_

"What's a light guild?" Mina asked with a hint of interest.

"A light guild is recognized by the magic council and is under the command of a 'Master' My guild is called 'Fairy Tail' and this is our symbol. Along with myself, Mira and Levy have one as well"

"What about…um…Kagura?" Ochaco questioned.

"She's a member of Mermaid Heel, an all female guild. But I'm getting off topic. I just told you Fairy Tail is a light guild…but then there are dark ones. Similar to your villains, these men and women don't follow the rule of law and try to sow anarchy. While a few tend to be low threats like thieve guilds, others are much more vile. Assassinations, human trafficking, slavery…cannibalism"

"You…have cannibals on your world?" Momo stated in surprised horror along with her friends.

"We did…but in the months leading up to the locust invasion of my world, Hisui issued a government mandate to hunt them down and execute them…or force them into labor battalions to build new infrastructure"

"But isn't that…kind of like slavery anyway?"

"These are the type of men that would rape you in front of your parents…for _fun_. They do not deserve compassion or the mercy of law" Erza blinked, realizing she had been a little…_forceful_ as she let out a soft sigh. "My world used to be…decent, but as myself and my friends got older, things became worse and worse. Almost like the tendrils of the devil were crushing us. And as the battles and enemies became more horrible than the last…we had to do the same in order to protect not only ourselves, but those that couldn't"

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "I used to believe in honor…of fair fights and I was a good person…but the war against the locust changed me for the worse. If you knew of everything I've done…" She trailed off, the voice like an echo.

"Is that what happened two days ago?" Mina asked, praying that this older woman wouldn't break down suddenly.

"Yes…some of my old memories…those horrible scars in my heart reopened. I lost myself…" the mage looked Izuku dead in the eye. "For what it's worth…I am sorry for what happened. I was in the wrong and shouldn't have threatened you or your friends" Erza suddenly sat up and grinned. "But not the time with that…uh…Stain. Yeah, I could tell he was a murderous asshole"

"Oh…um well…everything was resolved peacefully I suppose" Frankly, Izuku didn't know how to take the apology. He could tell it was genuine, but she still didn't see anything wrong with murdering Stain last month. _"I guess it's a start"_

Smiling, the Gear stood and picked up the barbwire/nail bat and almost preened with pride. Clutching it, she moved to Momo then squatted down on her haunches. "You can make thing's right? That's your quirk power?"

"You want me…to make you another one?" Momo lightly paused with hints of confusion in her voice.

"No. I want you to make something like this if your life is in danger. A swing or two at some bad guys head should do the trick. You're an attractive young woman and some villains would capture you for that reason alone. I'm sure I don't need to spell it out for you"

Yaoyorozu thought for a few seconds as Erza extended the bat toward her. While she never planned on killing or murdering villains, she had to admit that older female had a point. She _was_ attractive and something like that could mean the difference between life or death.

Finally coming to a conclusion, Momo grasped the bat and read the molecular structure for future use…if needed. "There. I know how to make one now"

"Excellent" Erza smiled as she stood up.

"Where did you get that anyway? It looks way different than your armor and weapons?" Ochaco pointed out as Scarlet returned the weapon to its resting place.

"I made it in the Walking Dead universe in an abandoned hardware store. Killed lots of zombies with it…and some men that planned to use myself and the others as sexual entertainment….we were stranded there for a few months"

"That…sounds awful. Is the entire multiverse this dangerous?" Mina asked as a surge of warm, night air brushed through the room.

Erza returned to her spot on the edge of the bed. "I won't lie to you. Some worlds…are fucking dangerous and terrifying. Places that would make that Bakugo asshole scream in horror as he shit his pants. Places with blood raining from the sky…places were women are used as lust receptacles for men. Places where you have no choice but to kill if you want to live, and sometimes, you only have seconds to react" Erza breathed. "But, there are also wonderful, peaceful worlds. Worlds with no pollution and practically no crime. Worlds with some of the most delectable Strawberry Cheesecake you could eat. Worlds where you can meet yourself and your future children. There is even a version of Earthland that has three moons and the most beautiful beaches of pristine, white sand. It doesn't even have continents, just clusters of archipelagoes with a few sub continents and island chains across it's tropical surface. And the people…so kind and hardworking. They achieved perfect balance with their environment and progress."

She pressed a hand to her ample bosom. "When I finally return home and see my Natsu again, I want a honeymoon there…it's…a place you would never want to leave" Erza smiled, fondly remembering when She had found that planet using the IVD so long ago. She still wished she had gone to visit, but a mission against the locust had come up.

"Basically, your saying that the multiverse has good…and evil. Just like everything else?" Izuku commented.

"Essentially. But I would be careful. Levy is hanging around with Mei now…and those two are so similar its scary. If she decides to build some multiverse technology, be careful and cautious. Don't make the mistakes we've made"

The four students lightly gulped. They have all dealt with Mei…and now she had joined forces with Levy McGarden? That couldn't be good from any angle.

Izuku shivered, almost as if somebody was plotting to attack him in a strange manner. Little did he know, but Levy was giving Mei a crash course in how harems worked…and he would be the future target for the salmon haired girl.

Scarlet looked at the clock on the wall and scowled. It was already approaching ten. Standing up, she headed toward the doorway as her guest followed suit. "It was nice to know I haven't completely terrified you four despite all the evil elimination, and if you want to visit again, I don't mind. After all…I have a whole month of doing nothing except training and reading romance novels"

Momo balled her fists, an idea suddenly coming to her as her eyes sparkled. Her gaze was upbeat and bubbly, something the others were very familiar with.

"Why not hold a class!? Your methods of killing were…pretty bad, but! You do have years of real world experience against actual monsters! I bet you could teach all of us students something!"

"Momo…I doubt the teachers or faculty would want us learning under four women that killed over fifty villains in a month" Ochaco lightly warned, trying her best to let her friend down easily.

"Don't worry! My family is rich and have given large donations to this school in the past! I'm sure Principal Nezu could at least hear the idea out!" The black haired teenager paused before slapping a palm to her face. "I flaunted my wealth again, didn't I?"

"Hey, it's okay Yoaorozu. We know you don't mean anything bad by it. Your working to become a hero so that's fine with me" Izuku smiled a little nervously. Momo lightly blushed…then turned lightly to see Erza leaning forward with a very impish smile…and quite the invader of her personal space.

"Ohhh…you two are so cute together. Are you sure you're not dating?"

Momo stuttered, eyes wide while Midoriya turned red. Mina laughed, a bellyful of teasing as she pointed with mirth.

"OKAY! WELL! WE NEED TO GET BACK TO OUR DORMS! CLASS IS TOMMORROW AFTER ALL! LET'S GO IZUKU!" Ochaco shouted with piercing embarrassment as she pushed her poor friend out of the room. Still laughing, Mina waved goodbye to Erza while yanking on Momo's wrist.

"Thanks for telling us a little more! See ya around, Miss Erza!"

Scarlet watched them leave down the hall to the elevators, smirking to herself before turning away to her room and closing the door. "Oh yeah…that kid is doomed by future women"

Laying down moments later after turning off the lights, the veteran of countless battles stared out the nearby window at the stars. "A class, huh…could be fun, but what would I teach…?"

**The Engineering Department 3:03 a.m.**

Mei had finally retired to her dorm across campus around ten thirty the night before, leaving Levy a chance to work her mind on the most pressing issue…the quantum absorption of her body and the others. While she had generally accepted the fact that trying to remove these damn particles would pretty much destroy her DNA in the process…a.k.a. Kill her, she did have an idea.

Eyes drooping, Levy's head lolled forward as she tried to stay awake at the work desk. Scrambling fingers unleashed more formula and diagrams on the computer screen, her mind slowing as the exhaustive day tried to claim her.

She refused.

"Come on Levy…yes…that…that could possibly work! No way you can fall asleep after all this!" Taking a deep swig of rum, her mind was already reeling from alcohol. Levy felt rejuvenated and typed frantically, her pert lips slightly parted as her intellect flowed across the screen. "Hehehe…yes! I'll have to create some elements here, but this is…hehehehe"

"Is something wrong, Miss Levy? Do you need me to explode again?"

"No…no, just…it might be somet—"

Levy's head thunked against the table, the woman's consumption of alcohol causing her to pass out. Unfortunately, she did her best work while drunk…sometimes.

Turning stiffly, the watermelon found a small blanket and draped it over his creator…then glanced at the screen. He didn't understand the diagrams or theoretical formulae…but he could read the title of her newest invention.

"_Universal Anchor_"

**There we go! Part Two! I know I said I'll make this a two parter, but there's still so much more I want to do! AHHHH! But seriously, next chapter will be the conclusion for MHA. Ahhh…I hope the turn of events isn't stupid or cheap with the girls staying at UA. I just figured, if Kagura can defeat Endeavor with gravity magic…or the others with theirs, the heroes would be forced into a more…diplomatic deal with the four. Especially after learning about the horror of the human/locust war. Plus this way, the heroes don't have to deal with rampant murder for another month and can keep them under house arrest until they leave. At least, that's how I see it.**

**Oh, and I'm heading back to work finally! So chapters will start slowing down since I'll be working again!**

**Anyway…READ! REVIEW! ENJOY!**

**Erza: Hey Mira…I already found Midoriya's first four girlfriends**

**Mira: really? Who?**

**Erza: Himiko! Momo, Mina, and Ochaco!**

**Himiko: YEEEESSSS!**

**The other three: WHAT!?**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	16. Academia (Part Three)

**Hello! I am back with the third chapter for MHA! I hope everybody is enjoying it so far! Now, if your expecting a harem around Izuku, don't be too disappointed since it will be the building blocks of one. I'm not going to be writing lemons with 16 year olds or anything. Mainly, just sowing the concept by the time Erza and the others shift away. Also, I can't remember if the full teacher body knew of All Might's diminishing strength. I'm going to assume they do. If I'm wrong…oh well.**

**Other than that, I'll write a few No Hope chapters afterwards. But, with summer upon us and myself getting back to work, updates will slow a bit.**

**Anyway, I don't own any media!**

**Chapter 16: Academia (Part Three)**

* * *

**May 5****th**** 11:00 a.m. U.A. Teacher's lounge**

Principal Nezu walked into the lounge, his short stature immediately drawing the gaze of his faculty. Dressed in a gray suit, the manlike bear smiled warmly to the educators. A quick study of those present reassured him that all were present.

"Ah. Excellent. Your all here"

"Is something wrong, Nezu? Did those four women attack a student? Because I heard that Levy woman was setting off explosives" Present Mic asked, his normal boisterous tone subdued with known murderers in the school.

Nezu chuckled. "No, nothing so serious. And Levy was actually assisting our young Mei with some projects. From what I gather, those two have established quite the rapport already"

"Then what's the issue?" Vlad King asked simply. He remembered meeting Erza and Kagura, the two visiting 1-B and talking with his students the day prior…he found them unnerving. He had seen what they were capable of…how utterly dangerous they could be.

"I received a strange phone call from Mr. Yaoyorozu this morning"

"About what? As far as their daughter's attendance and grades, she's doing quite well" Toshinori pointed out, his face gaunt and angular in the privacy of the other heroes.

"Oh, it's not an issue of their daughter's grades, but of an idea she came up with" Nezu strolled to the nearby window, the overcast sky beyond threatening rain. "Apparently, young Momo and some of her friends went and talked with Erza Scarlet last night. She told them some more of her life and the multiverse…even apologized to Izuku Midoriya for her actions earlier this week"

"I hope you didn't call all of us here to tell us that one of them apologized. I know they're…mentally troubled, but that's hardly a reason to gather us" Aizawa said tiredly, his eyes showing signs of boredom.

"Of course not, but it does give me hope that she acknowledged her mistake" Nezu turned from the window as the first patters of rain struck the glass. "Miss Yaoyorozu suggested to Erza that she hold a class, then called her parents about it. Parents that are very wealthy and have supported of our school with many donations in the past" He raised a furred palm to quell any protests before continuing to speak. "Now it was just a suggestion. Her father made it very clear that having these women here un-nerved him. But…we cannot dismiss their strength, experience, or survival skills against that horrid enemy. Erza and her friends have years of real world experience, and we have them here fore a full month. I believe having them hold some classes with some of our faculty in support would be a vast learning experiences for our students"

"…You can't be serious" Vlad King deadpanned, his tone level with disbelief.

"I am very serious. To disuse this resource would be a folly. And it already appears some of our students are very interested in learning from them. I hate to say it, but the world can be dangerous…especially for heroes. These four could teach them something that could save their lives or the lives of innocents one day"

"But all the murders they committed…" Toshinori murmured, his voice low.

"I know…but the idea has merit. And if we keep them separate during these lessons with one or two of you in support, the risks are diminished"

Nemuri looked down, her face studying the beat down carpet as she thought. _"They are all dangerous, there is no doubt about that. But aside from Levy blowing up things on the testing range with Mei yesterday, there hasn't been any new issues. They've been conducting themselves around the students quite well…with the exception of some weird talk of harems from Mira and Erza…"_

She lifted her head to speak. "We would have to establish rules of conduct with them. And figure out what types of classes would be the most beneficial to our students"

"Hmmph! You can go with them then. I am not working with those four and their weird, murder melon" Vlad King growled before leaving the room.

"I'll go talk to Erza and the others. If you don't wish to take part in this, let me know when I return" Walking toward the door, Nezu quickly left the faculty inside to ponder this strange idea.

Sighing, Midnight knew that this could be a benefit for the students…but only if the four didn't go overboard.

"I mean…it might help them to work with young adults instead of sitting in their rooms all day?" Toshinori suggested with a tired shrug of his bony shoulders.

"It might help establish any students that aren't cut out for hero work. I suspect any training or lessons would not be easy" Aizawa supported. He didn't trust them…but he could respect them in a way. Anybody to live through all that carnage and bloodshed was no pushover.

"But would it be volunteer or mandatory for our students?" Cementoss asked the tired looking man.

"Mandatory of course. I know some could really use some extra lessons" Aizawa concluded as the rain continued to fall outside like a beating drum.

**Mira's Room. Half an hour later…**

The first thing Levy had done after waking up from her late night of work was to meet up with her friends. The news had been too exciting not to share as she burst into the dorm with her assistant in tow. Luckily, the other three had already showered, eaten, and dressed for the day as they gathered in the room.

"Levy…did you even sleep at all? Your hair's a damn mess" Kagura pointed out at the unkempt locks of the scientist. They stood up…pointing in random directions as a smudge of motor oil graced her brow. How or when she got It none of them knew.

"Who gives a shit about that! I figured something out!" Levy shouted out as she paced back and forth.

"Well stop pacing and tell us?" Mira asked as her friend halted mid-step near the bed. Turning to the white haired mage, Levy grinned.

"It's about our shifting! I finally came up with something called the _Universal Anchor!_"

"…You mean you can get us home?" Erza asked hopefully, her eyes daring to show that forlorn desire.

Levy balked, knowing that despite her intellect, she had still failed in that regard. "No. I've explained that trying to remove these quantum particles entwined with our molecules would be basically like killing ourselves. But! The universal anchor will change that…in a way…" she looked away awkwardly, knowing that it really wouldn't change their lives.

"Then what good will this device do us if we can't get home?" Kagura asked with her arms crossed beneath her sizable bust. Leaning against the wall near the bathroom, she cocked her head to the side as Normal face did a random All Might pose.

"BECAUSE! It will anchor us once we get home! I know it's not much, but if we reach our homeworld, We can activate our individual anchor's and we will _stay_. Even if we have years of particles in our bodies, we won't shift anymore"

"But if that's the case, why not anchor here? Then wait it out? This world really isn't that bad" Mira suggested, but knew immediately by Levy's face that there was a catch.

The scientist ran a hand through her disheveled hair, showing off her tired eyes. "It won't work like that. Basically, it can only anchor us to home…nowhere else. Fuck, it won't even work here even after I finish the damn thing. Its purpose is to match our sub-atomic frequency with our home universe. If it doesn't, then it might as well be a paper weight" She breathed deeply. "I wish it was better news, but it is something to at least prevent us from leaving one thirty seven-C when we make it back"

"Well, that certainly is a piece of good news for your journey" Nezu interrupted, the short principal standing in the doorway.

"AH! BEAR MAN! YOU…ARE ACCEPTED!" Normal face said loudly while doing some karate chops at the empty air near the corner.

"If you can say that…but I just can't figure out how to prevent us from shifting again. The quantum particles and our bodies are too intertwined at this point. The only option is to let them fade of their own accord" Levy stated with annoyance. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Ah yes, please forgive my intrusion, but I understand some students were interested in some lessons from Erza and the others? I happen to think it would be a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn from your years of experience"

"I'm out" Levy stated with a shrug as she walked toward the doorway and passing the rodent-man.

"But you haven't even thought about it? Surely you would enjoy teaching some scientific concepts to the student body" Nezu asked the blue haired woman.

"I won't have time. I literally have to create some elements your world hasn't discovered yet to power this universal anchor…and get started on the exterior casing. Not too mention the other ideas I have too better equip your police officers. Plus, I am fucking starving and need a damn shower right now" Leaving with a wave, Levy strolled down the hall to erase the stink of the day before.

"I see…well what about the rest of you?"

"I would love to teach some outdoor survival and hunting. It would be an excellent skill for Midoriya and the others to toughen them up a bit. Plus…I won't be bored" Erza supported as she stroked her chin. "However…they can't use quirks. It's not a test of their knowledge or skill if they can simply use their powers to build weapons, tools, or to hunt"

"What a novel idea…It would certainly help them understand and appreciate what they have" Nezu commented with a thoughtful tone.

Erza spoke up once more. "This survival course would take a full week. Your students won't learn anything from just a single day in the woods"

Nezu nodded in agreement. "A splendid idea. Of course, precautions will be taken such as one of my teachers accompanying you and emergency communications in case of serious injury"

"That's fair. But we need to be far outside the city. A half our walk into the wilderness won't be much. They have to know they are out in nature"

"Wonderful! What about you two?" The short principal asked Mira and Kagura. The two looked at each other before Mira rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. She had discussed the prospect of this with Erza last night, her rival expressing interest which had got her thinking as well.

"Urban survival. We would need to use one of your emergency disaster training buildings…and some heavy technology for it too work how we envision"

"What would this course entail?"

Mira looked away slowly and awkwardly. "Ummm…an apocalypse? It would show the kids how easy it is to lose their morals in a survival setting like we have numerous times. Being a hero is a very admirable goal, but if you haven't drunk any water in two days? Even the most steadfast hero will be desperate and kill to survive. I would like to teach them that so they can understand desperation…how easy it can be to fall from that moral high ground"

"Hmmm…give me a list of what you will need. I'll look it over and let you know if I approve or not" Turning back to Erza, the bear-man smiled. "Tomorrow is Friday, so I'll break the announcement to the classes. Since there are four total in the entirety of the academy, you will be in charge of one class per week during the next month…can you handle that?"

"I've trained companies of men for military action in the Great War. Handling some high school student's will not be an issue"

Nezu's eyes widened at this fact, knowing that the First World War was ancient history at this point. He wondered how many different battlefields these women had fought on…then decided he probably did not want to know.

"Are you sure you don't want help Erza? Mira's idea wont really need a second pair of hands. Plus, it would be nice to enjoy some time with you away from…the _insane_ one" Kagura reasoned. She distinctly picked up off key singing from Levy's room and showering, and knew she needed to get away from the maddening scientist.

Scarlet nodded, a small smile gracing her normal frowning features. "It would be nice to have your help. Plus, you are one of my oldest friends with just as much skill as myself. Just don't expect me to do all the work"

Kagura just shook her head side to side, knowing that the knight was lightly teasing. Still…she could tell that in just a few days Erza had become less prone to outbursts and violence. The unleashing of emotions and rest seemed to have helped her mental state…even if she still talked to Strawberry.

"Very good. Why don't you two meet up with the faculty and start working with them on this upcoming course? You'll have tomorrow and the weekend to establish what you would want to accomplish. Mira? Come with me and you can explain more of this '_Urban Survival Course'_ to me"

Mira smirked as the females started to leave the room. "This is going to be so much fun"

"I just hope we don't accidentally break any of these kids" Kagura voiced out, leaving Normal Face in the room as he continued his poses…

**The following day.**

Izuku walked into the cafeteria of the school with Iida and Ochaco, his two closest friends while they headed toward the food line. Taking a spot at the back to wait his turn, the green haired teenager was deep in thought.

Noticing his stiff stature as the line moved, Ochaco lightly bumped the boy in the back. "Hey, Earth to Izuku? You in there?"

"Oh! Yeah…sorry" he smiled awkwardly before moving up.

"Thinking about the announcement, Midoriya?" Iida asked, the teenager lightly adjusting his glasses. Studying the large room for eating, he saw several of his classmates…and students from the other classes as well. He knew a few from 1-B…but any others he could only recognize from the hallway between courses.

"Yeah. On one hand, learning survival skills from Erza and Kagura will no doubt help us become better heroes. But…"

"Your worried about those two going overboard?" Ochaco asked simply as the line moved again. Her friend nodded.

"It is something to worry about. After all, they did kill dozens of people. However, they are willing to work under some of the teachers for this extra curricular activity. Life sure is weird sometimes…"

"As long as I don't have to eat bugs, I won't care" the gravity girl stated as the line moved toward the lunch ladies.

"AH! IZUKU!"

"H…Himiko? What are you doing back there?" Midoriya lightly stuttered. Studying the smiling blonde behind the food counter, the three students were surprised to see her in a service apron and cap. Her grin grew a little wider, piling on extra food for her crush and giving two drinks to the boy as she shrugged.

"They offered me a rehabilitation program since…you know, I did attack some people in the past. But! Since I'm a minor, they felt prison was way to harsh for my crimes, so your principal offered me a job here to pay back society in a way. And! If I do really well, I could take an actual entrance exam next year so long as there aren't any incidents!"

Izuku smiled, a warm split of his face as he took his tray overloaded with food. "That's great Himiko. Keep up the good work and you'll be a hero in no time"

"Of course! And…" The blonde girl leaned forward, awkwardly close as Ochaco twitched. "We can form a crime fighting couple. Just you and me…"

"Oh…uh…"

"WELL! THANKS FOR THE FOOD! GLAD YOUR DOING BETTER! BYE!"

Grabbing her tray of food, Ochaco practically pushed Midoriya to a distant table as a small dusting of pink graced her cheeks. Glancing back as Iida took his own tray of nourishment, the two females locked glares until they lost each other in the bustle of students.

Sitting down at a table with Mina, Toru Hagakure and Tsuyu, the brown haired girl breathed.

"Jeeze Uraraka, why are your eyes twitching? And your cheeks seem to be a little flushed?" Mina pointed out as she rested her chin on a pink palm. Black eyes jutting left toward Midoriya, the boy seemed a little red as well.

"No reason…none at all"

"Hmmm…hey Midoriya? Anything new?" Mina asked with a slight tease.

"Nope…no weird former villain fangirls at all" Mumbling to himself, the boy started to tackle the mountain of free food he had gotten.

"OH! I GET IT! Ochaco and that Himiko girl are in the middle of a love triangle with Midoriya!" Toru concluded with a fist bump…that nobody saw due to her invisibility.

"Hagakure. Everybody knows that. It's been the talk of the school for days now" Tsuyu mentioned offhandedly as the two teenagers nearby grew redder.

"So, um! What do you all think of this survival training course? Crazy huh…hehehe…" Ochaco input, trying to desperately change the subject.

"Oh no…we have all weekend to talk about our upcoming trip to the woods. We're going to talk about how your going to beat your new rival!" Toru grinned fanatically as she pictured the romance. But once again…nobody could see her movements as the gravity girl just rested her head on the cafeteria table with exasperation.

"Just…kill me now…"

**Monday May 9****th**** 10: 18 a.m. The Oyama Forest **

The bus ground to a halt, kicking up a plume of dust along the service road. Hemmed in on both sides by heavy forest, several of the students looked out at the unspoiled nature around them as some rabbits scampered away from the disturbance. It was strangely beautiful and serene, something many of the urbanites had never experienced.

Nemuri Kayama stood at the front, her teacher's attire switched to hiking jeans, a white t-shirt, and a light jacket that hung open. Brown boots covered her feet, a steady contrast to the normal shoes she wore. Adjusting the strap of her backpack, she cleared her throat.

"All of you make sure to take your backpacks with you. If you forget it on the bus, you will have no equipment for this exercise for a full week. If that happens, you will instantly fail this extra credit course" Turning, she stepped off the bus with Erza and Kagura following.

The fresh air was crisp…filled with the scent of leaves, wildlife….and that old mildew-like rot that covered the forest floor. Breathing again, Kagura smiled as she lightly adjusted her own backpack of camping equipment. The long-shot rifle on her back was a reassurance…an insistence that one of them remained armed just in case of a large bear or other dangerous wildlife.

The muttering and light complaints of students stretching sore muscles was heard as they climbed off, each one with their own pack and dressed for the occasion. Five minutes later the bus pulled away in a kick of gravel, leaving class 1-A in the middle of nowhere with Midnight, Erza Scarlet, and Kagura Mikazuchi.

Bakugo kicked a small stone, his face a portrait of scowls. "So now what? We pick berries or something?"

Erza slowly turned her gaze toward him, almost like a hunter eyeing young prey. "No. The point of this exercise is to teach you survival skills if you are ever stranded away from civilization. During the coming week, I will teach you to hunt, fish, collect your own water and other skills you will need in order to survive" Stooping low, the red head swung her bed roll and pack to the ground. Opening the soft container, she pulled out a six inch combat blade….then a lighter, matches, a durable bone saw, compass, a water filtration filter, a day worth of rations, bottled water, a mess tin, and a flashlight next to the rolled up sleeping bag. There was also a collapsible shovel, but that was set aside for now.

"I personally double checked all of your packs with Nemuri and Kagura this early morning before we all left. These are all the items you will be using until next Monday. I personally just wanted to give you a combat knife for everything, but your teachers thought that would be too…_extreme_. So, count yourselves lucky that you have these tools" Attaching the sheathed blade to her belt, the woman made sure to take the compass before repacking her kit.

Some of the student's flinched at that knowledge. Survival with just a knife? How hardcore was this woman?

"It also goes without saying…do not consume your emergency rations or water unless absolutely necessary. The goal is to teach you all how to gather food and drinkable water for yourselves" Kagura input.

Hagakure shifted, her survival attire bobbing while she raised her hand. "We can't use our quirk's right? But what about me? My whole body is invisible all the time"

Erza nodded toward the young woman. "I understand that some of you do have altered bodies because of your abilities. That cannot be helped. But using…for example, Shoto's ice or fire abilities to hunt or cook meals will not be allowed. Same with Yaoyorozu's creation ability or Bakugo's explosion quirk. Those will not be permitted since it would not be a challenge or learning experience otherwise. Does that answer your question?"

"Yup!"

Nemuri stepped forward, her eyes sparkling with a hint of pleasure. While she had some reservations at first, this idea would be extremely beneficial to the teenagers before her. "Okay. First order of business is to find some shelter. Miss Scarlet will lead the way. Follow her instructions or Miss Mikazuchi's. I will be taking up the rear to make sure none of you get separated from the group"

Erza nodded, abruptly turning and starting to walk toward the heavy tree line with compass in hand as Kagura fanned out to the right. Both women were silent, barely making a sound.

Izuku hurried to catch up with the rest of his class, his boots crushing some heavy moss. Momo came up next to him, a strangely happy smile on her face despite being miles from the nearest town. Her heel snapped a twig, a sharp crack mixed in with the low murmur of voices.

"Are you excited, Izuku?"

The green haired boy pondered for a moment, his gaze casting about the group as the forest floor became uneven with gnarled roots, rotting logs, and the scent of moss.

"Actually…yes. When you think about it, we are in a class with two women from another universe…how cool is that?" He grunted, stepping over a log before extending a hand to help Momo over. The girl lightly smiled at the action, another reason why she found the boy so pleasant to be around despite his shyness.

"Be careful where you step. I don't want to deal with a twisted ankle or broken leg on the first day" Erza called out from the front as she paused and narrowed her gaze toward the natural landscape. The Oyama forest had several small mountains that were heavily wooded along with some small rivers and lakes traversing the valleys. Raising a palm to shield an errant beam of sunlight, the mage was aware as Tsuyu came up and stood next to her.

"Do you know where to go?" the raven haired female asked simply. A slow nod was her response as the taller woman pointed toward the right. A small mountain lay that way…a heavy incline of trees and wildlife.

"Tell me, why should we search for shelter over there?"

Tsuyu looked, studying the landscape several miles away as the group temporarily paused. "Well…caves likely formed from water run-off over millions of years. If we want to find some shelter, that would be the best place to look"

"But why not at the banks of a river? We would have easy access to fresh water all the time"

The girl paused…tapping a finger to her lips in contemplation. "The river could flood during a rainstorm…and predators hunt along water sources as well. We would be better to finding a defensible position…hopefully close enough to fresh water, but not too close to warrant attacks by dangerous wildlife"

"Good. You can help me with this" Erza complimented as she stepped forward, bypassing a fallen tree with birds chirping far above. A few animals hollered and hooted, the sounds mixing with the surrounding wildlife.

Strangely, Tsuyu felt a small surge of pride from the soldier as the group continued onward through the heavy forest.

It took until early afternoon to reach the base of the wooded mountain. A difficult slog across uneven terrain and heavy forest that had many of the teenagers feeling the burning in their thighs and legs. A few complained, most of them coming from Mineta or Ojiro as the short boy gasped. He really wasn't made for long hikes.

"_Remember Minoru…we will find a lake and the girls will bathe. That's the goal…to witness the awe-inspiring beauty of women!" _He almost tripped over a root, but his pervert thoughts only made him smile.

Kyoka Jiro pushed her way through some low brush as a few drops of sweat trickled down her brow. She could hear Mineta talking about…_bathing_. A tone that made her naturally suspicious. She would have to warn the other women about a possible attempt to peep at them in the future. But that would have to wait as she stepped into a small stream that was running down the hill toward an unknown location. It was barely three feet wide and inches deep, but it flowed continuously from her right. Tracking her eyes further up the incline, the sixteen year old took in the sight of numerous slabs of tumbled shelf rock…and an opening in the mountain-side a dozen feet above.

"Hey! I found some water and a cave!" Jiro called out.

"Good job. Let's investigate" Kagura suggested as she emerged from the undergrowth only a few feet away. Unslinging the bolt action rifle, the soldier became all business as most of the group started to hurry with a wave of crushing noise and talking.

"_I didn't hear her at all! Was she behind me the whole time!?"_ Kyoka asked herself with a low gulp. That fact that her elongated earphone jacks didn't unnerved her immensely.

She followed the Gear, the two exerting more stamina as they climbed up the low grade toward the first slab. Circling around toward the left past the small stream of flowing water, the duo found a trail of weathered rock and packed dirt that led to the cave mouth.

"Easier than climbing those slabs" Mikazuchi commented as the two stood near the entrance. Streaked with lines millions of years old, it was easy to tell that water had flowed through here continuously for eons. Glancing back down the hill, Kyoka studied Erza instructing the students and Miss Kayama on water filtration as the rest of the class took a small break.

"Hey. Pay attention. We need to make sure there isn't anything dangerous in here" Kagura scolded with narrow eyes.

"Oh…sorry. I was just thinking that Erza would make a good teacher…um…without all the violence"

"She probably would" stepping into the mouth of the cave, Kagura kept her longshot pointed downward as the coolness washed over the two. They kept to the left, avoiding the light flow of water as more liquid dripped from condensation.

The two were silent, the only sound coming from light footfalls that echoed along the tunnel. Jiro felt the heavy weight of the sheathed knife on her belt…and was suddenly happy it was there. This cave was _too quiet_.

"You don't think there are any bears or mountain lions in here…do you?"

"It's possible. But that's why I brought my rifle" Stepping over the small stream, the two continued down the cavernous passageway. Rushing water grew louder along with distant pools of reflective light as the two emerged into a larger cavern that was almost…oval in layout.

An interior waterfall flowed, gushing over smoothed outcroppings of rocks before falling into a shallow pool. Streams of sunlight bore down from a few holes in the upper formation, lighting up the pool as the excess spilled past them to continue its journey down the mountain.

Several large shelves of stone rose above the pond nearby, their mass easily covering half the floor of the cavern like a plateau.

"Well…this will definitely work. A source of water and a place to sleep all in one" Resting a hand on Kyoka's shoulder, Kagura gave a nod.

"This was a great find. Feel proud you helped the group locate a desirable location"

Kyoka smiled shyly, a small dusting of embarrassment from the compliment. "Um…thanks"

"Why not pick a spot for your sleeping bag and kit? I'll go tell the rest of them it's clear" Already leaving, Kagura was gone in seconds as she left Jiro in the cavern.

Looking up, the female could feel a sense of wonderment from the stalactites hanging far above with sparkling minerals dotting the surfaces of many.

"It really is pretty in here…" Shaking her head free of the distraction a minute later, she walked up the soft incline to the plateau on the left side of the geological formation. Unslinging her pack with a weary sigh, she felt lighter than air as she spread out her bed roll ten feet from the edge. The tiny waterfall was close, a pleasant sound of nature as she scooped out her water filter. It was shaped like a thermos…a very simple design with instructions on the side. Unscrewing the top and pulling it apart, she quickly filled the secondary container and pressed down with the filter portion.

Eight seconds later she was enjoying the crisp, cold liquid as the sounds of her classmates loomed closer.

"OH! It's soo pretty!" Yaoyorozu exclaimed as the developing woman stepped inside with the others.

"You can admire it later, Momo. All of you pick a spot on that tiny uprising to store your gear. It's already mid afternoon and we still need to find some food, set up a latrine outside, and gather firewood" Scarlet stated as Bakugo scoffed.

"Why should we have to set up a latrine? Can't we just find some corner of this cave to take care of all that?" he crossed his arms, smirking at his bright idea.

"I dunno…do you want to sleep where you shit?" Erza asked evenly before turning away from the hot-tempered male. "There will be three groups of six led by myself, Kagura, and Nemuri. Mineta and Kaminari will remain behind to guard our belongings. I will take Bakugo, Midoriya, Hakagure, Kirishima, Ashido, and Tsuyu to gather food. Kagrua will take six of you to find a place for our waste while Midnight will gather firewood with her group"

"Really Erza?" Kagura asked with a light glare of annoyance.

Her friend sighed. "I'll do it for the next class, alright?"

"You better…"

Erza dismissed the tone as her group came forward after setting down their bedding.

"Okay! I think we're ready!"

Scarlet blinked once before turning, her tone silent as she waved the teenagers to follow. Leaving the cave, she was walking along the tumbling mountain stream minutes later as the scent of undergrowth filled her nostrils.

It was peaceful. A calming place that reminded her of being with Natsu.

"Why are we following the stream?" Hakagure asked simply.

Erza tried to not be annoyed. She had to remember they were city kids. The closest they've gotten to nature is probably manicured parks or their grandfather's cabin.

"Because…it will hopefully lead to a larger lake or river. Which means a higher chance of hunting. But I'll be teaching you hunting tomorrow. Today will be fish" the mage exclaimed as they continued down the shallow hill. She could distinctly hear a louder flow of water, but the trees impeded her vision for the moment.

"Um…don't we need fishing rods?" Izuku inquired with a light tone of confusion.

"I'll be teaching you to fish without them. I just wish your teachers would've let me give you a harsher course with just a knife. It's highly unlikely you would be carrying this type of gear if you were stranded somewhere"

"So, your saying you could survive out here with just a knife for a whole week? You don't even have a quirk"

Erza paused, her long hair billowing under a light breeze that pushed through the undergrowth. She looked back toward Bakugo with a harsh gaze. "I have. And your reliance on your quirk could spell your death one day. The one thing I've learned with my three friends in the multiverse? Each world has its own natural laws…and magic rarely works on most. The same could happen to your explosion quirk…or some villain could seal it, steal it from you with some horrible power you can't fight against" She turned away, continuing to walk again. "I am doing this to help you all understand that you could be without your abilities one day. If that happens, you need to be self-reliant"

"I guess that makes sense…right Bakugo?" Kirishima asked in the hopes of keeping his friend calm.

"Tch! Whatever…"

After that, they fell mostly into silence as they walked for fifteen minutes toward the increasingly loud sound of water. Finally reaching the source, they found themselves on the bank of a slow moving river. It wasn't large…only twenty feet across and maybe three feet deep in the middle. But it was clear…and the heroes in training could see fish swimming in the crystalline liquid.

"How are you planning on catching the fish, Miss Scarlet. Ribbit"

The red head looked around before settling her gaze on a fallen branch. It was about four feet long, and mostly straight with smaller branches jutting out randomly. Sitting down on a nearby outcropping of root, the soldier pulled her knife and began whittling away.

"You six need to find a sturdy branch like this to make a fishing spear. Whittle away the excess bark and narrow one end to a sharp point. If you have questions or need help, I'll show you how. Now get moving if you want to eat tonight" Slicing more of the bark off, the instructor became engrossed in her task.

"Spear fishing? I thought only ancient humans did that?" Ashido commented as she started to search the nearby area with the other two girls and Midoriya. Bakugo and Kirishima had gone in the opposite direction, but she didn't mind. Katsuki was an asshole.

"I guess we'll be learning" Izuku shrugged as the four continued to search. Luckily, they all found some sizable branches in ten minutes time. Rejoining the redhead along the bank, Midoriya was a little annoyed that Bakugo was already whittling a new spear. Sitting himself down, there was nothing he could do except start on his own.

Erza waited patiently for the students to finish. Keeping herself seated on the log, she gazed out at the forest…then remembered the last forest she had been in. The river turned to blood…a torrent of gore while the trees started to move and sway. Mutated wildlife burst from beyond as the sky opened up a hail of crimson. Her thoughts became clouded with screaming and gunfire…the ripping of flesh and skin…

"Miss Erza? We're done" Toru stated, her invisible hand gripping her spear as the others nodded. Scarlet blinked heavily before she nodded, the daymare fading to the back of her mind in a slow recession. But Toru, Mina and the nearby Tsuyu…they saw that small quiver in her eyes…of something unseen to them all.

"Oh…okay" Slipping off her hiking boots and socks, the woman rolled up her pant legs before wading into the flowing body of water. Grasping the spear, Erza could feel the coolness of the liquid flowing around her lower calves. Taking a small breath, the woman dipped the pointed end of the spear into the water…and waited.

Mina wondered what the dimensional traveler was doing…then the matured woman struck. Jabbing downward in a show of strength, she lifted the pointed shaft upward…and hefted a dying trout. It was about average, maybe a foot in length and weight five pounds as it thrashed to escape…but quickly failed and lay still with the end point through its side.

"Wow! That was amazing! You got one on the first try!" Mina supported with a shout.

"Indeed. Now all of you get in the river and spread out" Placing the now dead fish in her pack, she knew it would probably stink later on…but oh well. After all the times Happy had left fish around her home with Natsu, the smell was almost…welcome as a reminder.

In a few minutes they were ready with spears in hand…then Bakugo stabbed at the water.

"DAMN FISH! I HAD YOU!" Stabbing again, the others watched him futilely try to impale the swimming trout as his anger grew. A large fish swam past his feet, almost tauntingly close. Gritting his teeth in a snarl, the boy tightened his fingers around the pointed stick…and missed once more.

"DAMMMIT!"

Erza cuffed him in the back of the head, her face a scowl.

"You will never catch one like that you fool! All your doing is attacking the water!"

"What did you call me you murderer!?"

Erza leaned in close, her face inches from him as her voice lowered. "I called you a damn fool. And if you want to eat tonight, you will listen because I sure as hell will not be sharing my meals with you"

He ground his teeth, anger washing over him as he contemplated blasting this woman to char.

"Hey, come on man. We should at least watch how she caught one. I really don't want to go hungry tonight" Kirishima reasoned as his friend breathed deep.

"….Fine"

Scarlet stared blankly for a brief second then turned her attention to the narrow river. "Place the tip in the water slowly. If you try to just skewer from above the surface, the light refraction will distort the fish's location and where you strike. You need to have the pointed end near them and make sure not to scare them off. Once you do that…" the beautiful woman skewered another trout, this one slightly larger as its life came to an end.

"I see…" Izuku whispered as he kept his own spear tip in the churning liquid. A fish swam near the point. He struck, stabbing it through the gills as he lifted it up with a smile. "I got one!"

"Good work, Midoriya. Now we just need to catch enough for the class"

"We have to catch enough for everybody?" Mina asked in light surprise. She had missed the first fish, much to her annoyance.

"Yes. It's our task today. When your out in the wilderness, almost all of your energy is dedicated to procuring your next meal. We have shelter, water, and fire to help us through the week. But with the other groups on different tasks, we must provide them with nourishment…for today. Tomorrow, everybody will be responsible in getting their own meals"

"….Your going to make us clean and gut these fish, aren't you?" Hagakure asked in distress. Just the thought of descaling and pulling out fish guts made her feel sick. They were slimy and gross!

"Obviously. Now start spearing those fish!" the woman said with a bit of happiness. After that, the six students and mage spent the next hour failing…then catching the necessary food after many frustrating attempts.

By the time they returned to base camp, many of them could feel the rumblings in their stomachs for the fish as the other two groups waited with tired expressions. Midnight and her followers had found firewood….and had stacked several days worth in the cave entrance. Kagura was dirty with sweat from the coming summer heat…and for digging several latrines with her followers.

Erza spun the pack from her back in one fluid motion. Pulling out the fish, she set them on one of those large granite slabs outside the cave as Midoriya and the others followed suit.

"Food! Finally!" Ochaco voiced out, her legs and muscles aching from digging several pits for them all to use later.

"All of you will learn how to de-scale and properly clean your fish, so grab your knives and watch….unless you want it cooked with all the guts and eyes" She joked lightly. Setting a second fish to the side, Erza pointed it out to her friend with a simple nod of her head.

"I'll go get the cooking fires started" the gravity mage assured simply before walking into the cave.

Momo held her fish and knife nearby, determination in her eyes. Oddly enough, the rich girl was loving all this outdoors stuff. She wanted to learn…to prove she could be self-reliant. "What do we do first?"

Erza smiled lightly, noticing the maturing girl's enthusiasm. Setting down her trout, she raised her knife. "First, we need to remove the head" Slicing through, the blade separated the skin and scales easily. Yaoyorozu followed suit, copying the movements while some of the others still hesitated.

"This is so gross…" Kyoka grimaced from nearby with Kaminari at her left flank. Miss Kayama was to her immediate right, a slight look of disgust on her face as well.

"If you want to eat, you'll get through it. Now for pulling out the offal" Erza sliced the belly open quickly, then reached in and pulled out the guts. Tossing them away, she watched as some of the teenagers turned a little green from the act. Continuing her lesson, she left no detail alone while she began the process of de-scaling her dinner…with the kids finally working past the grisly act.

Shoto felt immense relief as he ate the cooked fish near the large fire set up in the middle of their camp. He had been starving…and based on how rapidly the others were eating, they had been too. Chewing greedily, he noticed the fading light outside as the fire crackled and popped. It was…comforting in a way as the flames danced across the logs.

"I hate to admit it…but there's something satisfying about catching and preparing your own food" Bakugo muttered to the right. Looking up, he saw Izuku smiling and talking with Ochaco and Hagakure. Scowling, he dismissed the classmate before settling his gaze on Erza, Kagura, and Midnight strait across from him. The flames danced, spitting small embers toward the adult women while they ate. Kagura was talking lightly with Midnight, but it was lost among a dozen conversations.

"So Erza…where did you learn all of this? The military?" Taking a bite of his fish, he washed it down with water while the red head finished her meal. Sitting with her legs crossed, the woman leaned her back against the chilled wall of the cave.

"Some. But I actually learned most of this from my boyfriend. He loves to hunt and fish…to spend time in nature. He taught all this to myself, Mira, Levy and all the others in the sisterhood. But…that was before the locust invasion and so many died" Her voice was heavy, a depressed tone.

"I take it you weren't always this way. Ready to kill or incite violence?"

"No. There was once a time in my life where I would try to defeat my enemies in an honorable way…to spare them so they could face the rule of law" She unleashed a small chuckle. "It's kinda funny. When I was your age, I probably would've been considered a prime candidate for your hero training…aside from using magic instead of quirks. And…you should've seen Levy back then. A quiet, peaceful girl that loved to read books. We…were all just kids building friendships and having adventures…"

Some of the students looked at each other, sensing hidden wounds from the hollowness of her voice.

"Did…something happen when you were younger?" Momo asked, her meal finished. She was not expecting a bark of laughter. A single burst of sound that was filled with…anguish.

"That's an understatement" the knight chuckled with a small hint of disturbance in her voice. Seeing that most of the class was watching, the soldier sighed. "You know…your principal let me read your files? Loving families… stable homes and support…your all very, very lucky to have that"

"My mom's a pain in the ass, and my dad is so calm about everything it makes me sick" Bakugo muttered.

The fire popped, a crackle that made Erza's eyes reflect the churning blaze.

"My father wanted to kill me before I was even born. My mom…she fled…ran for her life to escape him and to save me"

"That's…awful" Mina Ashido whispered, not even able to contemplate her own father doing something so horrid.

"Irene did eventually return to kill him after she gave birth to me, but she had to keep me safe. So…she left me in Rosemary Village when I was young. It's actually how I met Kagura"

"You must be great friends to still have your relationship this strong after so many years" Tokoyami observed as the raven haired mage gave a curt nod.

"We are…and I will neve be able to repay Erza for what she did"

"What happened?" the serious teenager asked, his attention rapt and focused.

"Dark cultists raided the village for slaves. Most were taken or killed. I helped Kagura escape…but in doing so I was captured and taken to the Tower of Heaven. I was beaten…humiliated and forced to work every day in their mad bid to resurrect the most vile mage in history" Erza's eyes lowered, staring at the flames as the old memories raced through her mind.

A few of the girls gasped, covering their mouths at this revelation. This woman…who had brought heroes to their knees…who had killed dozens of evil doers…had been a slave? As a child? The mere thought of it made a few ill.

"There was a revolt a few years later…it failed. Nobody pointed out the ringleaders…so they grabbed some at random to punish. They…" her breath hitched. "They cut out my right eye…then put me back to work the next day with even harsher burdens"

Nobody moved or dared to breathe. Mainly because they could not contemplate that…horror or pain. Even Bakugo had to admit…that was evil while the fire pit roared with embers and sparks.

"It was when they executed Elder Bob that my magic manifested in a fit of rage. I broke my shackles and began to escape with some of my friends…but one of them had been…changed. Jellal betrayed me. Said he would kill all of them if I tried to come back. And so…I escaped the tower…alone" Her chocolate orbs rose, a small amount of happiness in them. "Master Makarov found me soon after and gave me a home in his guild of Fairy Tail. That's where I met Natsu, Mira and her siblings, Cana and Levy…some of the others are dead now like Jet and Droy, Romeo and his father…killed by the locust"

She went silent, her gaze unblinking while the fire danced in her irises.

Izuku gulped, his eyes quivering. "Did…did you ever free your other friends?"

"I did…but Jellal had twisted most of them to his needs. He broke their minds…made them indifferent to the suffering he caused" Her fist clenched. "That…filth…sent his followers after me and I slaughtered them floor by floor. I slit their throats…stabbed them…even used Molotov cocktails to set some alight. And that…monster ran my precious Natsu through…planned to rape me and sacrifice me…" Scarlet's voice was like a demon at this point. "I took his head. Decapitated that monster with no remorse"

Remembering where she was suddenly, the Gear abruptly stood up. "I…need some air. I shouldn't have told you that" Leaving, her form disappeared into the darkness as the students remained silent for several minutes.

"She…hasn't had it easy, has she?" Tsuyu inquired softly as the nearby flames warmed her skin and soothed her aching muscles.

"No. Her life has been far more difficult than mine" The mage stood, her black hair swaying. "I know we are killers…that deep down, many of you still have fear of us, But Erza would spill blood to protect you from becoming like her. The things she's seen and done in the multiverse…I pray you will never know"

Kagura stiffened. "You should all try to fall asleep. It's been a long day and gathering food will be a priority once we wake" Gathering her rifle, the woman strode after her friend to leave the class in somber silence and their horrible knew knowledge about the instructor's experiences in the past.

**Three days later…**

Momo crouched in the undergrowth her eyes studying her prey. Gripping the sharpened spear she made herself, the girl was waiting for the chance to strike. Dirty sweat glistened her brow, strands of unwashed hair like wisps near her eyes.

And she stank. Momo had bathed the night before in a small lake their class had found…but her clothes were filthy with dirt and grime.

Erza and Kagura had not pulled punches. They all had to hunt, clean, and cook their own food. They had to maintain their gear and kit every day. Aoyama had eaten bad berries with disgusting results…and the digging of new latrines which was tiring. A bear sighting the day before had been terrifying, but it had bounded off thankfully. And after that first night…that glimpse into Erza's dark past. It had motivated them. The soldier had come from nothing…hunted, broken and beaten before she even reached the age of twelve while Momo had lived a life of comfort…loving parents and a very useful quirk. It made her feel guilty…unworthy to be taught by such a survivor.

And yet… "_I've never felt more alive than here, living off the land without the aid of my quirk. I wonder why Midoriya is so comfortable without using his? Everybody is struggling and he just stepped into it?"_ Momo scolded herself. She could not afford to let her mind wander at this point.

The weight of her blade was a comfort on her hip. Her stomach rumbled just thinking of this meal. Darting her eyes to the left and right, she was very aware of Todoroki and Jiro in similar positions.

Izuku was further ahead, completing the hunting party as the teenagers eyed the wild hog sniffing and grunting. It was eating some leaves…but those tusks were an issue.

"Remember…avoid it's charge. Wild hogs are perfectly capable of goring a man with their tusks, and this one is a full adult male" Kagura whispered, her voice barely heard by the younger female as she crouched in among the hidden greenery.

The wild pig turned away, concentrating on some moss.

Yaoyorazu moved, her feet light as her form emerged from the brush. Raising the spear, she expelled the effort to sink it into the hog's flank. It squealed in pain, a mad rage crossing the eyes as it turned to face its attacker. The shaft wrenched from her hands, Momo took a defensive stance while pulling her blade.

"Crap"

"GET IT!" Shoto yelled as he burst from his hiding spot. Stabbing downward, he was joined by Jiro as the two skewered the violent beast. It flailed…strength fading from the punctured organs as it tried to flee…but Izuku was there, spear in hand. The green haired teen didn't waste a moment, skewering the pointed end into its eye and puncturing the brain beyond.

It died, falling to the side in silence and a few small spasms. Izuku knelt down, resting a hand forming light callouses on the animal's head with a sad face.

"I'm sorry…but we're hungry. I promise we will use as much of you as we can…thank you"

"Showing respect to this creature…that's a good quality, Midoriya. Never forget it died so you could live"

"I know…but I still feel guilty about it. He didn't do anything wrong…yet we had to kill him"

"Everything eats something. And everything dies in the end…no matter what. Even the multiverse will die according to Levy" kagura voiced as the two males picked up the carcass.

"It's part of life, Izuku. It sucks, but there is nothing to be done about it" Shoto exclaimed as the two began to walk with their prize. The other male remained silent, trying not to think of the small life he just took.

"Jiro…your helping to deskin our lunch. You've shirked that duty since we came out here" Mikazuchi instructed, her gaze holding no room for back talk or protest.

The slender girl gulped, a streak of dried mud across her shirt. She hated how it looked…how bloody it was when she watched Erza skin those dead rabbits the day before. Fish she could handle…they were slimy and scaly. But deskinning that pig?

"O…Okay…"

"I know how it is…how wrong it feels the first few times. But knowing how could be the difference between surviving and starvation. Plus…you only have three more days to learn before we have to meet the next class"

"Aren't you coming back with us?"

"No. Myself and Erza will stay out here…it's…quiet. Besides, there is no point for us to return to the school to just turn around with 1-B. Now follow me, I'll help you with the skinning"

Jiro gulped once more…and breathed deeply. "Just a few more days…then a clean bed and a boiling shower…" the girl whispered as her booted feet crushed moss and undergrowth of the forest…

**May 14****th**** U.A. High School…The Engineering Department.**

"Come on, Mei! CRANK THAT WRENCH!" Levy encouraged from her right flank. Both women were grasping the tool, standing in the middle of the tiny, particle accelerator that they had built in the room. And by tiny, it was a circular machine taking up half the room that was essentially a small copy of the one in Switzerland.

"I…AM!" Pulling as her biceps bunched, the wrench moved one last time to lock that final bolt into place. Wiping a bead of sweat from her brow, the salmon haired student smiled. "Done! Now let's crank up this bad boy!"

Levy chuckled, ducking under the supported tube that would slam particles together before heading toward the control console with the younger female. Flipping a few switches, Levy gave one last look at this piece of engineering…then flipped the final lever.

It started to pulse, the particles inside flying toward each other as they built up speed. A small observation window was at the front, continuously thrumming white and blue as atoms smashed.

"Wooo! I never thought I'd get to invent new elements!"

"Yeah, well…your world hasn't discovered element one fifty three yet. And for my universal anchor to work, I need about…one ounce" She cast a gaze toward a nearby work bench, eyeing the completed housing of all four devices. They were tiny, each on the size of half dollar coin and will be set into the armor of their left arm gauntlets.

She had finished them that first day, but to power them…for that eventual time…

"How long will it take to accumulate all of what you need?"

"About two weeks…give or take a day. Until then we should totally work on some upgrades! Like, Erza's Gear armor! We can reverse engineer that space suit upgrade she got on that space ship for myself and Mira!"

"You…were on an actual spaceship! That's soo cool!" Mei grinned, her face almost splitting at the engineering requirements.

Levy rubbed the back of her neck. "Eeehh…It was more like a nightmare of alien space zombies, monsters, and barely escaping the horror of screaming, undead spider babies"

"Oh…yeah, that would suck"

"Hey, it's cool. We rescued the three surviving crew and I wasn't the craziest one that time! Now come on, lets get that armor! I even have ideas for your police forces to even the playing field against villains"

"Like new body armors? Or weapons that can shoot quirk cancelling bullets?"

"That's what I was just thinking! Are you a psychic? OR JUST FUCKING AWESOME!?" High-fiving, the two highly intellectual women headed toward the double doors…until Mira and Normal Face pushed them open.

"I see you finished that important project, which means you can finally help me set up that class!" Mira smirked while striding in.

N.F. blinked before raising his gloved hands. "I have not helped at all!"

"Seriously? I just built a machine that will _create _new elements in less than a week! And invented some crap to anchor us whenever we reach home…and you want me to what? Build you a whole virtual neighborhood or something? Can't you leave me alone to drink in peace!?" Pulling her flask from her hip belt, the busty bluenette drank with extreme satisfaction.

"Man…I wish I was old enough to drink!"

Levy extended her hand, taunting with the flask. "Here, help yourself"

"I predict a sixty three point seven percent chance this will be hilarious"

"McGarden…don't corrupt your little protégé. You, Sam, and Knightwalker already ruined innocent Wendy" Mira scolded with tired exasperation.

"You can't prove any of that! Wendy is perfectly normal!" Levy stopped, looking upward in thought. _"I wonder where she ended up? Oh man, what if was some horrible place like Raccoon City and she didn't have magic!? I bet she would kill zombies like a boss!"_

"Hmmm…" Mei looked around and saw nobody to scold…and snatched it up. Taking a sip, Mei barely got it past her lips before it started to burn. Hacking and coughing, she spit out the booze with fire in her throat and eyes watering.

This was nothing like the time her grandma let her try a sip of red wine for Christmas last year.

"Ugh..cough…God! What is this! Paint thinner!?"

Levy took it back and drank another gulp before screwing the cap and resettling the flask on her belt.

"Don't be such a baby. It's only eighty-seven percent alcohol"

"That is way too much!"

"No wonder she can beat Cana in drinking…" Mira murmured. Pushing the thought aside, she pulled out a piece of paper. "Can you at least look at what I'm trying to do?"

"Ugh…fine. Mei? Could you go to Erza's room and get her D.S.D? I need it for science and…learning? Yeah…learning you stuff…with large words…"

"Will you be sober when I get back?" Mei pointed, remembering that second morning of finding the woman passed out on a pile of tools.

*Hic* "Of course…I'm not *Hic* "Not even close to drunk"

"Miss Levy! I am detecting elevated blood alcohol in your body! I believe you are trying to lie and failing…MISERABLY!" The watermelon leaned to the side at an angle…and waved his hands like a magician.

"NOT HELPING!" Snatching up the piece of paper, the now annoyed scientist read what Mira was trying to do. Mie left, grumbling about alcoholic mentors and their insane sex stories.

"Well, what do you think?"

The inventor nodded, her right arm lightly brushing her ample chest. "At least it's not a stupid idea using robots. Cause using robots for this would just be easy…and easy is dumb as fuck if you want to horrify these kids" Levy looked up with a groan. "You have the battlefield or whatever?"

"Yup! Full cityscape they use to train the kids. It's already modeled like a disaster zone. Broken shops, burnt houses and abandoned cars…the works. But damn…it's big. Two square miles on each side and a few dozen blocks. It's perfect"

"…Fine. But when we get back home, we are pulling off a red, white and blue with Natsu. No exceptions!"

Mira pumped her fist. She thought it would take more, but a foursome with the man they loved? And the added bonus of making Erza completely submissive to her? Perfect. "Deal"

Normal Face looked at McGarden in confusion…while still wiggling his gloved fingers. "Creator? Did you not say you wanted to use Mira to help you build a brand new lab upon the finishing of the locust war. You knew she would come to you for a favor for her class and now you lost it"

Levy blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. "FUCKING DAMMIT! MIRA, NEW DEAL!"

"Nope. Already agreed" The demon smiled smugly before grasping Levy's hand. "Now come on, you need to see what you're working with"

"But…my future lab…" the woman struggled in sadness and defeat while she was pulled toward the open doors….and left the particle accelerator to compile that much needed element.

**May 25****th**** The Disaster Zone of U.A. High.**

Class 1-A and 1-B stood amongst each other in the large room as mumbling and light conversation flowed. The walls were blank concrete, displaying nothing except the large, steel door set into the north face. A similar entranceway was to the south, having been the entrance for them all.

Izuku looked up toward the ceiling, his inquisitive gaze trying to figure out the strange machine above. It looked like a…one of those weird ray guns from a children's cartoon complete with purple rings around the metal barrel. It hadn't moved…but the boy felt foreboding…far worse than the survival course in the woods.

Neito Monoma sneered from nearby. "You scared Midoriya? You should be. After all, 1-B preformed with vast superior-ness to your lame class. InfactIHEARDYOUMADESCARLETANGRYYOUSTUP—"

Itsuka Kendo grew her fist and punched the rude classmate in the head, knocking him to the floor as the blonde boy lay still. "Sorry about that. He's an idiot and was actually worse in the class. He couldn't even skin a fish without complaining" The orange haired girl smiled at Izuku and Ochaco, the two grinning back at her friendliness despite the rivalry between the classes.

"It's alright. I'm just glad I finally got to shower and sleep in a clean bed again. I know your class just returned on the twenty first, but those two were really serious about teaching us" the gravity girl replied warmly.

"Didn't you try to use one of the lakes or streams for washing?" Kendo lightly inquired. Ochaco scowled and crossed her arms. "You try doing that with Mineta around…"

"Oh…that short pervert that measures women by breast sizes?"

"That's the one"

"Hmmm…hopefully this course will be easier. But what does urban survival even mean?" Itsuka asked the two students who shrugged. All they knew was that they had to report to this room…and that there were no teachers present at all. Izuku looked around once more, trying to figure out what the whole purpose of them waiting around was for.

A buzzing filled the air…crackling as that strange ray gun powered up. Drawing the gaze of forty students, their eyes filled with fear as the tip sparked and hissed with purple energy…then shot down in a beam of rainbow colored light.

None of them had a chance to escape or scream as they lost consciousness, their bodies falling in a heap.

Mira watched from a monitor, her grin growing wide before she slapped Aizawa on the back. "Let's go grumpy. We only have an hour or two to get them ready for my class before they wake up"

The teacher looked at her with cautious eyes. "Was it necessary to knock them out?"

Strauss nodded. "Yes…yes it was"

**One hour later…**

Mina Ashido woke with a groan, her pink hand grasping her head. Struggling to stand, she wasn't the only one as her friends woke. Blinking the strange…_buzzing _sensation from her eyes, she looked around.

They were in a parking lot, the pavement cracked and overgrown. A few old cars were nearby, their frames rusting and dilapidated. Turning a full three hundred sixty degrees, she found them all gathered in the ruins of a city. Trash and refuse littered the nearby roadway at random while broken glass littered the pavement near a looted store. A car had smashed through the front, the tangle of metal dull and rusting while…a corpse sat in the front seat. Decaying flesh crawled with flies, the hollow eye sockets staring at the girl who shuddered.

"Where are we? I don't see an exit anywhere" Todoroki observed from his place nearby.

"Because there won't be one for seven days" Mira spoke as the students turned toward her as one. She was wearing her familiar, gothic attire and purple shirt, but was armed. A holster sat on her right hip, holding a firearm while a backpack hung from her back. A machete scabbard could be seen, but the weapon was out and glistened in the sun with malice.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Bakugo shouted, his palm collecting sweat. Aiming it at Mirajane, he willed his quirk to explode…then nothing happened. Trying again to bomb the woman into submission, his anger grew.

"You'll all find your quirks suppressed in this city. None of them will work…aside from those with different physical traits such as Tokoyami. But aside from that…your all powerless"

"What's the purpose of this exercise?' Tsuyu spoke up, her eyes darting around at the silent city in nervousness.

The instructor spread her arms, grasping her machete while she smiled. "It's simple. Survive for seven days. Find water and food…weapons and ammo. Anything you can do to stay alive in this city scape of two square miles!" Lowering her arms, she used her left hand to shield the glare of sunlight…then promptly turned and started to walk away.

Iida stepped forward with a shout. "Wait! Where are we supposed to go? Aren't you going to help us?"

Strauss turned back, a small impish look gracing her eyes. "Nope! And good luck!" Sprinting down a nearby side road, the silver haired mage was soon gone, leaving the youngsters alone in the abandoned lot.

The students milled around, looking at each other in curiosity as the silent city seemed to hold forbidden horrors.

"This is stupid. What's the point of this whole thing? Teaching us to live in an abandoned city?" Monoma complained as he walked toward the edge of the lot. Looking northeast across the road, a looted bakery loomed with the front pane a jagged mess of shattered glass. Red stains marred the sidewalk as he stood in the middle of the deserted street. Looking further down the road, he studied a tangle of abandoned traffic…and people trapped among the jam of cars before returning his gaze to the looted business.

Kendo joined him, her gaze wary with a few other classmates. _"This isn't normal training…not with those women at the helm. Just…why does this place feel so wrong?" _

A clattering and crunching of shards from within the building made her jump, pushing her back.

"Who's there?" Monoma said loudly, hints of concern in his voice. Despite him being rude most of the time, he was a fairly smart and hardworking student.

A woman appeared in the bakery's doorway, a large piece of glass sticking out of her stomach. The brown hair was matted…caked with blood while her eyes centered on the young man. Staggering forward in an injured limp on a broken ankle, her throat rasped.

Monoma's hero training kicked in as concern washed over him. Stepping forward, he felt his hand gripped by Kendo.

"No…don't. Somethings not right with her eyes. They…don't look human. We…we should leave her alone" The orange haired teenager warned with a growing sense of dread. This approaching woman…was _wrong._

The accident victim walked closer, her limp a wobble as Monoma wrenched his arm away in annoyance. "If you don't want to be a hero, then go join those losers in 1-A. It's obvious this is a rescue class"

Itsuka used pleading eyes as she tried to grab the boy and pull him back. Everything in her body and mind told her to run…to flee. _"There is no way Mira and her friends would just set up…a rescue mission. She just said to survive for seven days and this is—"_

She didn't get a chance to finish the thought as the blonde haired boy reached the wounded woman with a arrogant grin on his face.

It happened in slow motion for Kendo, Shiozaki, and three others from her class as the horror unfolded before their eyes. The brunette let out a groan of hunger as her mouth opened….then closed around Monoma's neck. Skin ripped as he screamed, the tendrils and sinew snapping with muscle as blood flowed. His scream was like a gurgle, the boy pushed to the pavement as the attacker slowly chewed.

"NO! GET OFF OF HIM!" Tetsutetsu roared as he charged forward. Grabbing the insane attacker, her teeth pulled more of the neck flesh in a horrid arch of crimson. Flinging her to the side, she rolled and tumbled with a snapping leg. Bone jutted out of her shin, the whiteness coated with red as the boy stopped down next to his classmate.

"Hang on, Neito! Hang on!" He turned, snapping at Kendo. "Find some first aid! We have to stop the bleeding!"

"Tetsutetsu…it's too late…" she replied with a pointed finger that shook. Following her gaze, the young male with shark like teeth saw she was right…Monoma was dead. Eyes glassed over, his cheek and neck were awash in red as a puddle grew around his still corpse.

By this time, the remaining students of both classes were…shocked. Stunned by the sudden death of their fellow student.

"No…how could this happen?" Hugakure whispered from the crowd as Neito's friend turned with a look of sheer…_rage_ toward the injured woman. She was trying to stand, the eyes ripe with madness as the bone of her broken leg poked out further and further with a light shredding of flesh. He charged with a raised fist, knocking the female to the ground as flesh met flesh.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? YOU VILLAIN!"

All he got was a groan and rasp in response…which infuriated him more.

Neito Monoma's body twitched, his hand slowly opening and clenching as his torn throat tried to form words.

"HEY! HE'S ALIVE!" Hanta Sero shouted as he raced to the fallen boy's side. Crouching down, he smiled at the miracle as he tried to assess the damage.

Neito lunged with a snarl, his teeth clamping down on Sero's thigh. Grunting as the student screamed, he pulled away a sizable chunk of flesh and skin with the pant fabric.

"AAAAHHHHH! MY LEG! HE BIT MY LEG!" Sero screamed as he fell, trying to stem the raging blood seeping through his fingers. Monoma was on in him the blink of an eye, his bloodied teeth gnashing while ripping into the stomach. The boy screamed once more…but there was nothing the students could do about disembowelment.

"W…what the hell is going on…?" Kendo gulped in horror as her former friend started to rip open the tape user. She wanted to vomit as the stomach tore…the gristle of tearing organs too much to bear as Neito ate…and ate with grim satisfaction.

"GET OFF ME!" Tetsutetsu yelled in angry pain as the woman managed to get a grip…and sink her teeth into his wrist. Crimson flowed between her dirty molars stained with red, her grunts of hunger unheard as Monoma continued to feed on the now deceased Sero.

Izuku gulped, his mind trying to understand the horror. _"It's…it's almost like those old movies with dead people…dead people…No…they wouldn't"_ His attention was grabbed by the shambling of feet behind him and more rasps of hunger. Turning, the green haired hero saw three…no…five emerging from a doorless building past the parking lot. They were staggering like drunks…swaying as one limped along with an arm missing. A woman had only one eye, the other dangling on nerves against her pallid cheek.

He moved without thinking, running toward a fallen pipe in the road. Hefting it, he ran through the crowd…and swung at the cranium of Neito. A sickening crack reverberated up his arms, making him feel nauseous as he pulled back to swing once more. _"Please…let me be right about this!"_

The undead snarled, grunting as Izuku struck the skull again. Blood sprayed, arching across his clothes as the body fell and twitched. Seeing more of the… _"Zombies…these are zombies…oh god…" _Shambling toward a still fighting Tetsutetsu, the boy turned toward Kendo.

"RUN! They're not human anymore! They'll kill us!" he shouted as he counted seven…no…ten…no…thirteen of the corpses coming at them from the south, east and west. He sprinted west, unconsciously causing some of his friends and Kendo to follow. Running along the sidewalk as his heart pounded, he climbed over the tangled mess of the hood of the car embedded in the building. Hoping down the other side, he heard the echoing of boots and shoes on metal as his friends climbed over the ruin to escape the infected.

The other students scattered, most heading north as the woman and three more of the dead finally overwhelmed Tetsutetsu in a scream of death and ripping flesh…

Momo ran, breathing hard while she followed Midoriya along the rows of looted and abandoned businesses. Tears ran down her face, the haunting screams of her classmates still echoing in her mind. A few of the monsters were on her left, crouched down over a corpse and feeding in the doorway of an apartment building. The tearing of skin…the awful chewing…the undead heard the group as their attention drew to the living humans.

"Quick! Past this bus!" Izuku yelled as he rounded the collision of the mangled city transport and a garbage truck. A few undead beat against the glass inside, their snarls missed as he ran.

A zombie loomed from behind an overturned police car, the former officer slack jawed and missing half his face with dried gore spread across the uniform.

Izuku swung, the pipe connecting with the diseased head as the body fell. Stepping on its chest, the male swung again…and again to finish the job as brain matter and rot flew in a spatter across his boots.

"Oh god…oh god what have they done? How could they do this to us!?" Ochaco cried out as she stooped over the officer. There was still a gun in the holster…and a single spare magazine which she grabbed in desperation.

"This is a trick right? Like…some sort of hologram?" Mina asked with fear in her voice as she looked around. The dead beat at the windows of the bus…snarling and pressing diseased lips among the glass.

"No…this is too real…Mira and the others…they probably see this as a way to thin the herd between the weak and strong…" Izuku whispered in dread. A rapid grabbing of his shoulder by Tsuyu drew his gaze past the police car.

Dozens…dozens of the corpses were coming. A horror display of decaying bodies and hideous wounds while they snarled and bayed.

A doorway to a walk-up apartment was just past the police car…hanging open like an escape to salvation.

"Hurry! In here!" Momo shouted with rising dread. Running in, the black haired girl pounded up the steps to the second floor loft. The others were behind her in a mad dash, trying to escape the small horde to the apartment. Sprays of dried blood was arched across the partially open door as she kicked it open with a heavy boot, revealing the trashed domicile beyond that stank like death.

A body lay on the floor, a hatchet buried in the back. She yanked it out, ignoring the sensation of where it had just been as the others piled into the small home. Iida slammed the door shut, his stance fearful and chest heaving.

"Help me move that couch!" Four students helped, knowing that those monsters were right on their tail. Hell…they could already hear the sounds of increasing moans as the piece of furniture was pushed into place.

"More furniture! Anything to barricade the door!" Ochaco yelled as she ran into the kitchen with Izuku. Grunting with adrenaline pumping, the two started to move the table toward the entrance.

The corpse moved, a low groan escaping its cracked lips as Momo's eyes widened in panic. She swung the hatchet, knowing that she did not want the same fate to befall her as Sero. The sharp end embedded in the skull with sickening viscosity, the bone cracking and splitting. Pulling it out, she didn't even notice the small patters of gore that came with as the dead began pounding against the door.

"Todoroki! Hagakure! The TV stand!" Mina gasped out as the door shuddered against the couch and increasing pile of furniture. The two moved without question, knowing that death was beyond that barrier. The three pushed it, grunting and exerting muscle that seemed exhausted by the short sprint and death of friends. They piled it into place, adding to the weight of the furniture barricade as Iida moved some chairs and…anything he could think of to prevent the undead entering.

"Yaoyorozu…we need to check the rest of this place" Izuku said softly, his palms covered in fearful sweat as both eyed the hallway past the living room toward the presumable bedrooms.

The female gripped the hatchet with two hands, her brow a sheen of sweat and terror. She inched forward, following Midoriya who still gripped that heavy pipe like it was his lover.

"_Did they send us to another world? That strange ray gun before we woke up…just how could this be happening? Are the teacher's dead? Did…Mira kill them and drag us all here to watch us die?"_ Izuku tried to calm his racing mind. Right now, he could not afford to wander. Reaching the first door on the left, he lightly pushed it open. A bathroom greeted him, the porcelain stained and unused…but no dead people.

The other two bedrooms were empty of threats, thankfully as the two made their way back to the group of students. There were nine in total. Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, Iida, Tsuyu, Mina, Todoroki, Hagakure, Kendo and Ochaco. The gravity girl flinched, the door shuddering lightly as undead fists beat against the wood. But with how much furniture they had piled against the entrance and narrowness of that staircase, the zombies could only bring three to bear at once.

"Christ…what the hell happened? I thought Mira and the others were trying to teach us a survival…course. Oh no…is this it? We have to survive some…undead apocalypse?" Shoto asked the group as the zombies snarled beyond.

"Keep your voice down…maybe they'll forget about us" Hagakure whispered as the sullen students started to come to grips with this nightmare.

"But…this can't be real. There's no way they would let…teenagers fight zombies? And…oh god…Sero. Monoma and Tetsutetsu…they all died, just like that" Itsuku said in a hollow voice, the fresh memory of her friend's death replaying over…and over again.

"What…what should we do?" Mina Ashido asked her friends, a few tears streaking down her pink skinned face. Izuku moved to the window, stepping over the fully dead body. Pushing away the curtain, he lightly peaked down at the street.

There were a few dozen zombies…staggering about, most likely drawn to the noise they had made.

The green haired boy gulped…then steeled his resolve. "We…we need to stay alive for seven days, right? That's what Mira said before she ran off. That means the same thing as the forest. Food, clean water, and weapons. Except this time…we have to fight off the undead" His hand shook, the realization he had smashed in two heads already…just to stay alive.

"_How can I be a hero now?"_

"I'll…start looking around, see if I can't find anything of use" Todoroki said with a hint of calmness that didn't betray the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"I'll help…this is so scary…" Hagakure barely said, her invisible form only recognized by the floating clothes. Walking into the kitchen, most of the others just…slumped against the bare walls or barricade in relief to just…be alive.

A half hour later saw the students quietly whispering around the finds while the dead beat and moaned beyond the walls. A crowbar and baseball bat. Some kitchen knives and a dozen cans of creamed corn, peaches, and pineapple. A case of water…and a shotgun with eight shells found in the back of a closet.

"This food will barely last us until tomorrow, and we will need to use our ammunition very sparingly. Todoroki…you should take the shotgun. You always aimed with your quirk so you should be able to employ the same method" Izuku suggested.

"Right. I'll try to only use it if absolutely necessary. These things seem to be drawn by noise so we need to be on guard at all times"

The door shuddered again, but it seemed…half-hearted at this point in time.

"The bat is mine" Kendo stated, her vision clouded by drying tears as she tried to hide the quiver in her voice. In the past hour, a friend had just been…killed and there were dead people pounding on the door.

"We need to establish an escape route. We don't know how long those…freaks will be outside the door and like Izuku said…we will not have anything to eat by tomorrow"

"Good idea. I'll look around in a bit" Midoriya tried to smile at his friend…but the situation was so awful, he didn't know how they would even make it to day two…and by all accounts, it was barely noon.

The zombies moaned and clawed, reminding all of them how trapped they were in the city of the necropolis…

**Several streets away**

"Hurry!" Kyoka Jiro urged in a harsh whisper, her throat scratchy with fear while she gripped the first rung of the ladder. Anchored to the side of a derelict gas station, the normally calm and quiet girl raced up the ladder to escape the encroaching dead. Abandoned cars littered the lot, doors strung open while clothes, belongings, and the random remains of gore lay among the station pavement.

The last hour had been a blur of running…screaming…and the howls of death as the unlucky, slow, or foolish were surrounded and consumed by the drunken corpses. She knew Mineta was dead, the short boy really having no chance to escape the zombies as they…simply gained on him.

He had begged…screamed for her help, but there were too many as they literally ripped him apart. And Kyoka…had ran for her life….and felt like trash for doing so.

Jiro reached the top of the ladder, swinging herself onto the roof as she looked back with panicked eyes. "Hurry! Up here!" she waved toward the others that had followed her. Kaminari was down there, her friend supporting the French student Aoyoma as they barely stayed in front of a dozen of those rotting corpses that snarled with hunger. Fumikage Tokoyami stayed with them, lending a shoulder of support to their classmate while two girls from 1-B surged past. Kyoka recognized them as Ibara Shiozaki and Setsuna Tokage.

The sound of a bolt action from behind her made the teenager freeze, the familiar sound from Kagura's training not soon forgotten.

"Get off my roof girl, I won't ask twice"

Kyoka turned, her heart thumping and hammering as her gaze fell on…a survivor. His beard was haggard, scraggly and unkempt while he stood near a small tent and his meager belongings. A flannel shirt and blue jeans were part of his outfit…but the long rifle pointed at her was taking all her attention.

"Please…we need a place to hide from the monsters" Jiro pleaded…just as the green haired Ibara rose her body into view over the edge of the roof with the others urging her upward to escape the enclosing dead.

The survivor snapped his gun to the girl and fired, blowing a hole through her forehead in a spray of exploding bone and matter. Her corpse fell, a look of surprise still on the face as it tumbled near a dumpster.

"NO!" Kyoka screamed in disbelief and anguish. Snarling in anger, she ran toward the man as he struggled to work the bolt. Grabbing the rifle, the girl and survivor fought for an advantage.

"This is my roof! Get off before I kill you, you dumb bitch!" He roared, spittle flying from an unwashed mouth. Jiro managed to knee him in the crotch, the blow painful for any male anywhere as his form doubled over and staggered close to the western edge.

She pushed him, her anger too great while wrenching the rifle from his hands.

It happened so fast. He lost his balance, tumbling over the side with a scream while Jiro fell onto her butt cheeks in shock. Dropping the rifle, she crawled forward toward the edge…and wished she hadn't. He had fallen in the gap between the building and the car overhang…and his leg was broken with several of the undead quickly homing in.

A man fell on him…then two women as they started to feed on the thrashing victim that screamed in torment.

"Oh god…oh god…what have I done? I'm supposed to…be a hero…" Her voice cracked, shaken to the core as hands gripped her head unconsciously. _"I just killed a man…no no no!"_ Echoing sounds of flesh tearing…slurping and gnashing teeth ran rampant in her head as the monsters fed below.

Jiro didn't even notice the remaining students ascending up the ladder, their faces grim and forlorn. Kaminari set down the belly laser boy against the large Air conditioner, his gaze distant while he eyed the ragged bite along the left side. One of the monsters had bitten the sparkling teen…tearing a chunk of flesh from the abdomen as blood flowed through tired fingers.

"Hold on Aoyama…I'll look for something to treat that wound"

"No…we all saw what happened to Monoma…I'm…not going to be sparkling for much longer…" Yuga said in a pained gasp before gripping his friend's hand. "Please…don't let me become one of them…they have no sparkle…" He coughed, blood seeping past lips caked with flecks of red. He gasped with agony, the virus spreading through his system like wildfire.

"What do we do? This isn't a normal situation at all" Tokoyami asked Denki as more undead gathered around the ladder below. They had seen the food escape…and their hands were slapping…tearing at the building relentlessly as others ate the fresh corpse of Ibara. At least her death was quick.

"What about a hospital? Surely there are some emergency services still available?" Tokage asked as her eyes settled on the still distraught Jiro. Tears flowed, falling down her cheeks…knowing that one of her friends was being…eaten just beyond the edge of the roof. The weight hit her…the nightmare of their plight being felt as she fell to her knees.

"Where? For all we know this whole place is like this…" Tokoyami answered. He stood, his hawklike features damp with perspiration. Looking around the surrounding neighborhood, all he saw were apartment buildings, the nearby road clogged with wrecks…and the dead. Some were distant, milling around without a care…but others were closer and drifting toward them with uneven gaits.

Kyoka finally calmed, the lowering voice of Aoyoma piercing the fog of her mind. _"How could this be a class? How could…Mira just leave us to die? How could the teachers allow this? Are…are they even still alive? Did those four purposely start this…disaster to see which of us would live or die? How…how will I make it through a week? Or…is that a lie too?"_

The bitten boy coughed loudly, more blood splattering on his chin while his cheeks grew pallid. Jiro grabbed the rifle, its weight…heavy and reassuring at the same time. Its function was similar to Kagura's longshot as she chambered a bullet.

Kaminari saw his friend approach…then looked back at the dying Aoyama. There was nothing he could do. _"There has to be something! I'm going to be a hero and…I have to save my friend!" _He felt a hand devoid of strength rest upon his shoulder.

"I..it's…okay. At…" Yugo coughed heavily, more blood spraying from his lips as death closed in. "At least…I get to sparkle…till the end" His hand fell limp, the breathing slowed…then stopped.

"Get away from him…we only have a few moments" Jiro warned as she slowly raised the rifle and pressed it to her right shoulder. Her hands trembled, a result of stress and fear while her surviving friends moved behind her.

Yuga Aoyama's body twitched, the hand spasming as his head slowly moved…and a bloodshot coloring filled his dead eyes. A rasp left his lips as the body started to rise.

'_**BANG!'**_

The rifle slammed against Kyoka's shoulder, bucking while the slug tore through the reanimated head of her classmate. It snapped back, spraying the nearby A/C unit with gore and bits of viscera. The girl lowered the weapon, tears flowing down her cheeks as more of the undead converged on the gas station with the four survivors…

* * *

"Grrr…DIE!" Bakugo roared in anger while he swung the machete into the zombie's skull. It split like a melon, spilling gore as he yanked it back. Kicking the next creature in the stomach, it staggered as he swung again with a decapitating strike. "Kirishima! Hurry the fuck up! Same with you 1-B bastards!" he shouted at the group frantically searching the hardware store for anything of use.

"I know! God, I know!" Eijiro shouted from somewhere in the ransacked store, finding a plumbing wrench, the boy hefted it with a manly grip as the others searched with increasing haste. There were three others, a girl and two boys from the rival class that were almost frantic. The female was silver haired, her normally blank demeanor streaked with panic as Reiko Yanagi gripped the carpenter hammer with both hands.

Another zombie stumbled through the door, almost tripping over the deceased corpses as she let out a sorrowful moan. Bakugo swung again, the machete blade digging into the side of the skull as dead blood sprayed across the threshold. But more were coming…homing in from both sides of the street as they stumbled and twitched with single minded purpose. In less than a minute they would be climbing through the glassless display window or wrecked door and overwhelm them.

"I swear…I'm going to destroy Mira for doing this…"

"HEY MAN! The back door, lets go!" Kirishima shouted out as he ran down the narrow hall past the bathrooms and back storage. Lowering his shoulder, the spiky redhaired hero charged the metal door. The lock must have been weakened, giving way with a _snap _as Eijiro and Yanagi burst through with the other two men…and Bakugo close behind.

Two lurkers had been behind the door, simply waiting in a stupor as the two undead retail workers gaped at the sky. The emergence of humans had them moving, the zombified woman covered in cuts and missing part of her scalp latching onto one of the 1-B males. Sinking her teeth into his neck, Juzo Honenuki screamed as skin and muscle tore away in horrid spray of crimson that leaked down his shirt. The other infected was there in another second, practically tackling the helpless male while taking a large bite out of his exposed back.

"HELP ME! AUUUGHHH!"

Flesh tore…ripped as the male screamed in agony and pleads of help…but the survivors knew there was nothing to be done. Katsuki raced through the door, blood still dripping from the machete as he stared at the sight with a sickening gaze.

"Go…while they're distracted" He urged…and felt vestiges of shame as the four ran down the back alley strewn with trash and empty bottles. A fire escape loomed ahead, attached to a six story apartment building…and very close to a street with more of the monsters.

"Up. Before they notice us" Yanagi said in a soft urge as she gripped the first rung and pulled upward. Her hair bobbed with each ascent, always covering her left eye. _"This can't be a class…this can't be a class" _She tried to tell herself…but it was too real…to visceral. Reaching the first landing, the girl raced up the next flight as Bakugo and the others used their strength and haste to pull themselves upward.

Sen Kaibara was the last to reach the fire escape platform, his shoes creating soft echoes of impact. Breathing deeply while gripping the crowbar, he studied the nearby zombies slowly walking down the alley from the street. It appears they hadn't been quiet enough. Running a stressed hand through his black hair damp with sweat, he turned to where Juzo had fallen…and wished he hadn't. There were more of the dead now…just feasting and tearing at his remains like a pack of staving wolves.

"We're heading toward the upper floor. Hopefully we can find a secure place for the night" Kirishima informed as the dead gathered at the base of the ladder below. Looking down, both boys stared with…disbelief at the snarling horde. "This…this is unmanly. Why did Mira leave us? How many of our classmates have died because of that mad woman? This…this is just slaughter. Not even the pro heroes could deal with something like this" Forming a fist, the male wished once more that his quirk was working…but there was nothing. They were all defenseless in that regard.

"Let's go. We need to get inside this building cause I'm sure as hell not going back down there" Bakugo uttered with his normal tone of anger and annoyance from the landing above. Giving a small nod to the quiet girl next to him, his legs started to climb the metallic rungs as they passed darkened windows with the dead below…

**Mira's Safehouse May 25****th**** 11:59 p.m.**

The take-over mage sighed with contentment as she drank the beer on the long, leather couch. The condo was expensively furnished, all white and chrome finishing for the kitchen and some other décor. An open patio on her right led to the balcony on the sixteenth floor, or the top one to be accurate. Standing up, her hips swayed to the balcony while she took another pull of her drink. Leaning against the metal and glass railing, she peered out at the city.

A few distant gunshots rang out, cracking the night air followed by a short scream. Scanning to the left, her irises reflected an out of control fire consuming a few buildings several streets away.

"I wonder if that was the students or the crazed survivors?" She asked herself offhandedly as she watched the blaze rage out of control.

Light flickered to her immediate right, a staccato of energy that soon formed into the holographic images of Principal Nezu and Midnight.

"Miss Strauss…when you came to me with this idea, I had no clue how…bloody it would be. Already thirteen of them have _died_ in your class. What of their mental health?"

Mira scoffed. "I told you what I was planning, and you accepted. This is the kind of shit I've dealt with along with my friends on other versions of Earth"

Nemuri spread her hands, a look of disturbance across her features. "But what do you even hope to accomplish? I understand the wilderness survival course with Erza and Kagura. That was a great chance for them to learn new skills along with myself. But this…this is just…"

"Apocalyptic? That's the point. I know these kids are working to become good, upstanding heroes, but they need to learn the world can be…very dark" Strauss emphasized as she heard another scream. "They need to see what's it like with no support…to see how desperate people can get for food and supplies. To be powerless…to be _hunted_" she emphasized.

Nezu sighed heavily. "I can see your point, but the trauma some of them have already experienced by being…eaten"

"They'll be fine tomorrow once they wake up in their V.R. chamber. Well…maybe a few freak outs?" Mira pondered with a pointed finger to her lips.

"But why zombies?" Why not something else like villains?" Midnight asked the white haired woman who finally finished her beer…and threw it off the balcony to strike a zombie in a few moments far below. It grunted, turning to face the attack, but found nothing before bumping against an overturned car in the road.

"Because zombies suck. They are relentless…emotionless and will kill you the first chance they get. Perfect for these kids to test their survival skills they learned with Erza and Kagura"

"And the scavengers?"

"I programmed them in here to show how absolutely _desperate_ humans can get when they're backed into a corner. I know most people in normal society can be decent, law abiding citizens, but if you take away electricity, running water and food? They break…turn on their neighbors and friends to save themselves" Waving her hand after her explanation, the woman walked back into the high rise condo and past the heavy door leading to the hall beyond. The floor was secure, but it's not like it would matter if the dead managed to get in by some miracle. This whole thing was virtual reality anyway. "I'm going to bed. I have to reach the police station tomorrow and announce the evacuation at the end of the week" She paused, standing near the bedroom. "I wonder how many will be alive by then? I Do hope Midoriya makes it with a few ladies to day seven" Mira chuckled with a wave before leaving the holograms of the teachers.

"I suppose it would be interesting to see if any of them survive a full week in here…" Nezu pondered lightly as Midnight massaged her temples.

"I swear…I'm going to write a much better program for this virtual world once those insane females leave. Something that won't give the kids nightmares at least" Her image flickered…then she was gone with the principal as the virtual city burned in the distance…

**June 1****st**** 11:13 a.m.**

Mirajane's announcement rang through the entire city at noon on the second day. There was going to be an evacuation helicopter at the police station arriving at noon on the seventh day, and anybody still alive better be on it. But the days between had been wrought with carnage and killing…spilling blood and running…scavenging and fighting against desperate humans along with the snarling jaws of the undead. There was no truly safe place…every moment was a stressful hell mixing in the moans of the infected in the street and the stink of unwashed bodies.

By now, most of the students had perished. Their lives snuffed out by zombies or desperate survivors that murdered them for a few canned goods.

Izuku had killed five people yesterday in the check out area of a grocery store. The raid for food had gone bad…and Ochaco had been captured by their leader. He had slit her throat right before Midoriya, the crimson spilling across her dirty clothes as her eyes dimmed. After that…he had killed them all in a blind rage. Her death…had been another trauma, falling in with all the others over the last week.

His fist tightened around the heavy pipe he had modified on day three. Spike's were affixed to it now, some of the gore dried among the brutal points.

"_If only I had been faster…better"_ the boy told himself as he crouched behind a burned out police car near the city's precinct. Empty brass casings and garbage littered the road along with abandoned check points and sandbags. It was obvious the police had made a stand, but had failed by the abandoned weapons laying near the entrance.

Looking past the vehicle, he saw a few undead still wearing their uniforms near the building's doors as they let out light rasps of mourning. One tripped, falling on her own intestines that were spilling from her open chest cavity, but the former human didn't even care as she thrashed about to pick herself up. Looking toward the roof four stories above, Midoriya knew...that's where their escape laid.

"Izuku? What's the plan?" Yaoyorozu asked in a light whisper while gripping the shotgun Todoroki had been using…until his death on day three. Her face was dirty…filthy with sweat and grime while unwashed hair itched. Her clothes were no better with stains of dried blood from kills.

Midoriya turned back, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and grief. Out of the nine in their group, only Momo, Itsuka Kendo, and Toru Hagakure were still alive. The rest…had not survived.

The male looked around cautiously, knowing the dead could creep on them if they let their guard down for a moment…just like what happened to Iida.

"We have less than an hour according to that announcement. All we can really do is fight our way to the roof" He gave one last look to his friends. "Stay in a group and don't get separated"

"We trust you, Izuku. Now let's get out of this place" Hagakure said with a hint of warmth. She was still invisible, which made the floating bat in her hand strange, but something he was used to. Kendo clutched her hatchet tight and close, her eyes constantly darting around for any incoming threats.

The normally shy boy nodded, but frankly, some of that innocence had left him…especially that shyness dealing with the opposite sex. There just wasn't time to stutter and fumble his words. Sprinting from his crouch, Izuku's face was lines of hardness as he swung the spiked pipe at the first corpses head.

It caved with a horrifying crunch of breaking bone and brain matter. His muscles surged, yanking the weapon from the collapsing zombie as the few remaining turned their attention to his fast movements. He veered left, swinging with all his strength at the face of another zombified officer.

Kendo sprinted past Midoriya with Toru, both women tired and sick of this whole nightmare. The invisible girl let out a gasp of effort, her wooden slugger hissing through the air before it connected with another walker.

"I really hate these things" the female complained in a grunt as the body fell. Stepping back, she raised her weapon and swung again in time with Kendo splitting the skull of the last. Necrotic gore flew, spreading across the pavement as Momo ran toward the station doors.

They hung open, stains of blood splashed across the exterior while rancid clumps of flesh sat with flies feasting on the rot. Stepping over the gore, the beautiful brunette swung her shotgun wide in a scan of the lobby, making sure to check her sides first.

The remains of bodies lay near the front reception desk, the hardened glass above splattered with more viscera among the trash and overturned chairs. The security door to the left was open…broken down by the infected in the past.

Izuku moved in first, his scuffed and dirty shoes barely making a sound while keeping his weapon ready. The hallway was filled with gloom and the scent of fear and copper. Walking forward toward the T-junction, his heart raced as the sounds of…_eating _came from strait ahead and around another corner.

Momo and the others knew what that meant as they stayed silent. Moving toward the junction, she swung wide.

There was an infected ten feet away, guarding the door to the interior fire-escape…and their chance to leave this nightmare. It turned with a hungry rasp, the lower jaw completely missing as rotting tendrils and the remains of the man's tongue hung toward his neck.

Momo fired, the corpse surging forward by a single step while the head exploded into a gore strewn paste against the nearby wall. The distant chewing and grunts halted, signifying the dead had heard the echoing gunblast.

"SHIT!" The girl yelled, knowing that she had just alerted any nearby monsters.

"Forget it! We need to get to the roof!" Midoriya urged as the group of four raced down the adjoining hall to the stairwell. Charging the closed door, it banged open with a resonating clang of sound. Two dead were crouched over a corpse, feeding in the corner with gusto as they tore and fed…but the four ran past toward the stairs.

"Hurry! We don't have much time left!" Toru urged as she pushed past her fatigue. Her legs burned from running…always running and hiding. Reaching the second floor with the others, they moved past the entrance to the floor as more annoyed rasps and moans echoed from beyond.

It took them thirty seconds to reach the roof, but in that time, they had disturbed the monstrous inhabitants of the station with their running and noise. They were following…a wave of bodies numbering in the dozens.

Itsuka pushed the exit door open with a shoulder slam, her body aching as adrenaline raced through her veins. Her orange hair billowed in the sunlight, the unwashed grease and sweat barely felt as her gaze set upon the helicopter twenty feet away. The ramp was lowered, the rotors lightly spinning in an idle as Mirajane stood near the passenger bay.

"GO" Izuku cried out, knowing that dead would be bursting out of the building in seconds. But his words were un-needed as the four sprinted across the tarmac and up that ramp.

"Not bad Midoriya. Not bad at all" Mira nodded with a smirk. She received hateful glares from the four as they joined the other survivors along the seats. The older woman checked her watch…and knew it was time. Striding up the ramp, she hit the switch to close it just as the first walkers burst from the access door like a raging pustule.

"I'm honestly surprised…Midoriya. You actually survived this hell" Bakugo grunted with a very minimal tone of respect from across the aisle of the helicopter. He was filthy…a machete resting across his lap while Reiko Yanagi sat next to him, her hands gripping a revolver while her chest rose and fell.

"Thanks…but I honestly expected you to make it through this…" Izuku replied with a tone devoid of any emotion. Leaning his head back against the rest, he counted the number of survivors…there were very few. Including the six for his and Bakugo's group, there was Tokoyami and Jiro, the normally snarky girl caked with blood and leaning a rifle against her shoulder. There was a bayonet attached…still slick with gore as her hands shook. Past her were three members of class 1-B, each in a state of shock.

"Only eleven of us made it?" Hagakure asked with a hollow voice as she looked at all the empty seats. Her voice cracked…a flow of anguish at her fallen friends as her breath broke.

"You all did very well. You should be proud of yourselves" Mira said from the front of the cabin while the transport started to lift.

"NO THANKS TO YOU! ALL YOU DID WAS ABANDON US! ALL OUR FRIENDS DIED!" Yaoyorozu yelled with rage, her tone almost matching Bakugo's in tone and temperament.

"Heh…but I bet you learned some important life lessons" Mira finished with a smirk…then her body shimmered with light…almost breaking apart in digital cubes.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" Bakugo yelled in surprise as the interior of the large transport faded to black. It faded completely as he found himself in some sort of…pod with a plexiglass covering. A strange mask was adorned to his mouth and face, a small tube protruding into his throat. Pulling it free, the boy gasped as he pushed the cover open. He found himself in a room…and mild confusion as Kirishima appeared in his field of vision with a wide grin.

"Damn bro! You were manly since I died from that zombie bite. But I knew you would make it!"

"What…but I had to kill you…" the explosive blonde grumbled as he sat up…and saw Mira standing with a few teachers and all the student's that had _died_ in the past week.

"Ochaco…how? I saw you die. I saw all of you die" Izuku gasped in shock as the brown haired girl hugged him with extreme closeness.

"It was a virtual reality simulation, Izuku! All of it!" The girl re-assured him as he turned to Mira and principal Nezu with shock. "You mean…it wasn't real?"

"Of course not. I'm not so callous to leave a bunch of sixteen year old's in an actual zombie apocalypse. That would just…be evil"

"But why! I…I had to kill Aoyama…" Jiro whispered with horror and trembling lips.

Mira let out a heavy breath while scratching her head. "I had to teach you how bad things can get. How broken people can be when they are starving and afraid. The eleven of you that made it to the end…all of you killed to protect your lives and your friends" Her gaze looked over the group. "I find it very admirable your training and learning to be heroes to protect lives…to save the innocent. But you had to learn that it's okay in extreme situations to take a life…just like I have done when I had to fight zombies for real" She took another pause. "I hope you never have to kill…but now…some of you can understand the reasoning…the desperation" She finished as All Might strode forward with principal Nezu

"I understand that many of you will be having issues with all you have seen and done during this past week! That's why I will suspend my class for the next week for all of you! All Might has spoken!" the large hero bellowed with a laugh.

"All of you…please rest for the weekend. I supported this class knowing full well the implications. If you need to talk with myself or any of the faculty, please, my door is open to all" Nezu informed with a wavering smile. Frankly, he was impressed eleven had made it to the end.

"No! I want an apology from Mira for all this shit! I killed people…fought monsters and it felt…so damn real! Now apologize, you insane woman!" Bakugo pointed with an accusing finger.

Mira pursed her lips, then waved. "Nope! Now I'm going to help Midnight program some different scenarios for the next class! After all, me and my friends only have eight days left here!" Turning with a chuckle, the mage left the room, leaving the traumatized teenagers in her wake…

**Eight days later… Ten minutes until shift**

The teachers and students were outside, standing in a group around the four women and their strange watermelon as the minutes ticked downward. Honestly…most of them were relieved after their…_lessons_. Even now, some were still having fitful nightmares of the V.R. simulator and the undead they had fought.

The exception was Mei of course, chatting heavily with Levy as they said their goodbye's.

"Here Mei…My notes and more ideas for hero equipment you can make for your friends" Levy informed as she pressed a USB drive into the engineer's hands.

"Really? Even more stuff I can build!?"

"Yup! Including my dimensional technology! Just…be very careful with that one. I included the warnings if you ever decide to build it" Raising her left wrist, the female eyed the now affixed _universal anchor_ embedded in the armor greave. It was small and circular with a dull metallic color…dim with no light as the center bulb/button lay dark. Frankly, it wouldn't do anything at all until they reached home.

"Well ladies…I have to say it's…been very interesting having you around" All Might commented as he stood tall and muscular with his signature grin.

"OH! That reminds me!" Levy pipped up as she pulled an ampoule shooter from her hip pouch. It glowed blue, the fluid inside swirling with flecks of purple. Walking over to the hero, she stood before him and made the 'get closer' motion with her free hand.

Toshinori cocked his brow, but relented as he stooped down to the scarred bluenette.

"Here…this will heal your…problem. It won't stop your fading quirk, but it will buy you an extra year to prepare the world for your retirement" Levy whispered, handing the small shooter loaded with microscopic healing bots. The hero nodded, taking the device with a murmur of thanks.

Stepping back, the armored girl hit a red button on her right arm greave. Her body armor rippled, plates moving into place as a helmet with three horizontal blue lines covered her face in seconds. They glowed azure, hiding Levy's eyes. Gloves connected with the rest of her suit, sealing off the woman from the outside world as the other travelers did the same.

"Hey Levy? What if we accidentally hit this button in space? Won't we die?" Mira asked with a similar helmet design…except hers had three horizontal lines of silver to match her hair.

"The upgrades in our armor include sensors that assess the exterior environment. If it's vacuum, hard radiation, or un-breathable gases, it won't let you dispel this upgraded armor until we reach a habitable environment. I also increased the oxygen recyclers for up to ten hours of breathing"

"Impressive" Erza commented as her helmeted head turned toward Midoriya. He was standing with his class…Momo, Hagukure and some of the girls crowding his space. _"Only a matter of time now…"_ she inwardly smiled at the future harem. Making sure her lancer was loaded, the woman prepared herself for the upcoming shift while her favorite bat lay magnetized to her back plate.

"I hope you all learned something from us despite our differences" Kagura smiled, but knew Nemuri and the other teachers wouldn't see it behind the sealed helmet.

Midnight chuckled. "I know how to fish and prepare boar and set traps in the wilderness…So yeah, I did learn something" She blinked, her eyes glancing toward Mira. "I still hate that zombie apocalypse course and the one with the killer sausage people you made for 2-A and 2-B"

"Meh" Mira shrugged as she pulled her lancer, knowing it was down to the last minute.

"Dimensional shift immanent! TIME FOR HAT MODE!" Normal face shouted as he climbed onto Levy's helmeted head and gripped the sides with a blank stare.

"I don't think I'll ever trust a watermelon again" Present Mic said, remembering how the creature stole his whole pizza one day for Levy and Mei. Those women had demolished the whole thing…and he had cried.

Blue and yellow particles started to appear, dancing around the women's bodies as their forms started to glow. 'BYE MEI! IT WAS REALLY GREAT BUILDING TECH WITH YOU! AND MAKE SURE TO BE MIDORIYA'S GENIUS QUEEN IN HIS FUTURE HAR-"

McGarden didn't get to finish, her body blinking out of existence with the others, leaving just a dusting of quantum particles.

"BYE LEVY! I'LL MAKE SURE TO BUILD LOTS OF STUFF AND DATE IZUKU!" the salmon haired girl waved to the empty spot.

"Huh…I guess they weren't lying about the dimensional shifting" Aizawa mentioned as the tech girl skipped over to Izuku with a grin as she leaned in far to close. Her chest was practically pressing against the male…and she knew it.

"So Midoriya…" she sang with a warm voice "Wanna go out on a date? I can tell you all about my new upgrade idea's for your hero suit while we discuss how I'll be your queen…."

Izuku spluttered, his face going red as Momo, Ochaco and Himiko closed ranks in a very protective manner.

"Don't answer that my love, she's trying to take my rightful spot at your side" Himiko stated with a threatening glare at the inventor. If she had known Juvia, the tone would've been a complete match.

"_THEY ARE ALL RIVALS!"_

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!" several of the teenage girls yelled at the former villain…then gasped at each other.

Feeling himself grabbed by Toga and Ochaco, the boy turned crimson as he felt _them_ pressed against his arms. Those wonderful, soft mounds of flesh through fabric.

"_I'm so dead"_ Were his thoughts as the women started to bicker and argue in the sunshine of the summer day at U.A. Academy…

**Phew! That was a long chapter! Almost 20,000 words! And yeah, Mira's class was basically…a horror filled nightmare for the kids that survived, but VR fixes everything! If you have complaints…I'll place them in my complaint box…and set it on fire. These women are all about survival and wanted to impart how that feels so…hench the hunting in the wilderness and undead. I do wish I had more time with Mei and Levy, but this chapter was getting so long already.**

**And Unknown Legion! If you want to have Mei call up 21-A at anytime, feel free!**

**Other than that, I will be working on No Hope for a few chapters next!**

**So read, review, and enjoy!**

**Mineta: WHY! WHY IS MIDORIYA GETTING ALL THE GIRLS!**

**Reiko: Actually…Bakugo is kinda cute…**

**Bakugo: Huh?**

**Mineta: NOT HIM TOO!**

**Mei: Izuku…COME BACK HERE! *Chases the poor boy***

**Izuku: Forget villains! Its women that will be my undoing!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


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